tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7108463337644582772018-12-18T10:32:57.364+01:00Travels around EuropeA light-hearted take on life as I see it.Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.comBlogger418125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-21858803006690165342018-11-16T11:05:00.000+01:002018-11-16T11:05:26.442+01:00421: Life's a beach and then you die<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="western" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sorry not to write so many blogs these days. They really must take 4th place behind trying to maintain a minimum level of fitness, trying to improve my Spanish by progressing from Basic to Intermediate, and preparing for English lessons. The trying to keep a level of fitness moves up and down the to-do list depending on what the scales report in the morning. They reported bad news this morning so I'm just back in from a run/walk along the beach. Salou is a bit like a ghost town now most of the tourists have gone home and it's lovely running along the sand listening to the waves of the Mediterranean gently lapping onto the beach. This is the life.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I try not to have too many chocolate 'goodies' in the flat so as not to be tempted, but returning from a run, with the endorphins whizzing around, there is almost always a craving for some food. This morning was no exception. All I could find, that wasn't a 'proper' meal, was a <a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=foosty" target="_blank">foosty</a> old carrot. Better than nothing at all, but only just.&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It's been a busy old week. Last Saturday I went to Tarragona, 25 minutes on the bus, and met my Russian friends Sasha and Natalia who had travelled South from Barcelona to meet me. We had a very nice lunch in El Corte Ingles and then went off to view the old Roman ruins and amphitheatre.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BW4l0-6ZmbA/W-6NGc4og8I/AAAAAAAAF8k/wBrN2IvW78Mllg810Z8WWTveeF6Mqj6uACEwYBhgL/s1600/20181110_140937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BW4l0-6ZmbA/W-6NGc4og8I/AAAAAAAAF8k/wBrN2IvW78Mllg810Z8WWTveeF6Mqj6uACEwYBhgL/s320/20181110_140937.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BstdDL4y7Mo/W-6OJkH_aII/AAAAAAAAF8o/Y1eXXlFcR_EHeOlwuLt9P_MYgYT3zVbcQCLcBGAs/s1600/NX-23995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BstdDL4y7Mo/W-6OJkH_aII/AAAAAAAAF8o/Y1eXXlFcR_EHeOlwuLt9P_MYgYT3zVbcQCLcBGAs/s320/NX-23995.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; On Sunday, after church, I took the train to Cambrils and walked back to Salou. A beautiful walk along the coast. And with it being Sunday, there were no immigrants hawking their wares on the no-man's land between Cambrils and Salou forcing pedestrians onto the cycle path by filling the available pavement with trainers, sunglasses, football shirts, hats etc.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp; Two encounters with Spanish bureaucracy this week. On Monday I visited a police station in Tarragona to register my presence in Salou. In the 'unlikely' event of Brexit going '****-up' I wanted to increase my chances of not being evicted from Spain. I took every piece of paperwork I had ever owned, just in case they might ask for it. In the event the 'interview' went quite well. Apart from the 'tasa'. They almost finish the paperwork and then send you off to find a bank to pay 12 Euros 'tax'. Why you can't pay it on the spot eludes me. You return, post-haste, waving a receipted piece of paper, and they hand you your registration card. The next brush with bureaucracy was at the offices of the INSS (Spanish Social Security) in Reus. Of course, I had taken the wrong form but they gave me the right one and kindly allowed me to fill it in at the desk rather than sending me away to book another appointment for another day. I left there with a stamped piece of paper in my sweaty little mitt and a promise that they would send me something through the post. Whether that will be a Social Security number or a medical entitlement card remains to be seen.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And now it's time to make some soup for lunch - with the rest of the foosty carrots.</span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr valign="TOP"><td width="50%"></td><td width="50%"></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-size: small;">And finally, talking about carrots....</span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;" trbidi="on"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vjvQNUw_5Gw" width="560"></iframe></span></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-7875942731272820362018-10-23T18:09:00.000+02:002018-10-23T18:09:23.734+02:00420: A pictorial autobiography - 60 years of Des!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Prompted, in part, by several military friends and acquaintances who have recently posted Facebook statuses of themselves at the beginning of their career, I thought I would try something similar but over a longer period - i.e. the whole of my life thus far. Here we go then: a caterpillar metamorphosing into a beautiful butterfly, or, perhaps, a scabby old moth.</span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><u>Part 1: The early years</u></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"><td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KDwDVSh57oo/W83gfD2KGkI/AAAAAAAAFzI/Ut9m0TE5IrgoD1p4sQUgHWgaP9eR-1wVwCLcBGAs/s1600/butter%2Bwouldn%2527t%2Bmelt%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bmouth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="851" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KDwDVSh57oo/W83gfD2KGkI/AAAAAAAAFzI/Ut9m0TE5IrgoD1p4sQUgHWgaP9eR-1wVwCLcBGAs/s320/butter%2Bwouldn%2527t%2Bmelt%2Bin%2Bthe%2Bmouth.jpg" width="249" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ONDc6XFWo9M/W83gqIOtTlI/AAAAAAAAFzM/wVvYUcjG29U3RhByVSeqgB52kbKNEv8IACLcBGAs/s1600/The%2BSilver%2BCurlew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="925" height="214" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ONDc6XFWo9M/W83gqIOtTlI/AAAAAAAAFzM/wVvYUcjG29U3RhByVSeqgB52kbKNEv8IACLcBGAs/s320/The%2BSilver%2BCurlew.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western"></div><div class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Above</b>: My first, and only, foray into acting. Erith Grammar School 1965.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Left</b>: looking very smug having presumably just mastered 1950s Lego. No glasses, must be a very very old picture</span>. </div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="85*"></col> <col width="85*"></col> <col width="85*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8dl2Q8OGlrg/W83iSzZoIvI/AAAAAAAAFzc/f2viEgIzSJgtkKjoP4JdTV3PWCn7TWbhACLcBGAs/s1600/a%2Bvery%2Byoung%2Bapprentice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="272" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8dl2Q8OGlrg/W83iSzZoIvI/AAAAAAAAFzc/f2viEgIzSJgtkKjoP4JdTV3PWCn7TWbhACLcBGAs/s320/a%2Bvery%2Byoung%2Bapprentice.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr><tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">A very young Apprentice Radio Technician at the Army Apprentices College. Harrogate. 1967.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="western"><br /></div><div class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td><td width="33%"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7J8HodhXDAs/W83ibmRXgZI/AAAAAAAAFzg/SwsGh2WPxS86jn0DXVb38Okt-BSBLRtJACLcBGAs/s1600/Cyprus%2B1971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="449" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7J8HodhXDAs/W83ibmRXgZI/AAAAAAAAFzg/SwsGh2WPxS86jn0DXVb38Okt-BSBLRtJACLcBGAs/s320/Cyprus%2B1971.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr><tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Having transferred to the Royal Army Pay Corps in late 1969, here I am in Cyprus in Summer 1971. The last pic without a moustache!</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><u>Part II: Soldier on.......</u></span><br /><span id="goog_458031548"></span><span id="goog_458031549"></span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">24 years service in the Royal Army Pay Corps. Postings/attachments to The Gordon Highlanders, The Life Guards, The Cheshire Regiment, 39 Engineer Regiment, The British Embassy Moscow 1978-1980<u>,</u>The Royal Military Police, The RAPC Computer Centre and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. It wasn't all work and no play though, as you can see here:&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"><td width="33%"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><br /><div class="western"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6d0_H4C8f0/W83pR6_NqEI/AAAAAAAAFzs/z6IjKcs9U9YzdP9fe3hIu4yV_AAtdG0_wCLcBGAs/s1600/Christmas%2B1979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="1021" height="217" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q6d0_H4C8f0/W83pR6_NqEI/AAAAAAAAFzs/z6IjKcs9U9YzdP9fe3hIu4yV_AAtdG0_wCLcBGAs/s320/Christmas%2B1979.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Entertaining HM Ambassador and staff Xmas 79 </span></div></div></td><td width="33%"><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--jFbYTwGX5U/W83pbLuCuhI/AAAAAAAAFzw/MzJjt8085-YYGp548v-Z_HUu22W2I9OtQCLcBGAs/s1600/Burns%2Bnight%2B1980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="1027" height="169" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--jFbYTwGX5U/W83pbLuCuhI/AAAAAAAAFzw/MzJjt8085-YYGp548v-Z_HUu22W2I9OtQCLcBGAs/s320/Burns%2Bnight%2B1980.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr valign="TOP"><td width="33%"><br /></td><td width="33%"><br /></td><td width="33%"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Burns night at the Embassy dacha&nbsp;</span></div><div class="western"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Jan 1980</span></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr valign="TOP"><td width="33%"><div class="western"></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><u></u></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col> <col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_-hTySm-bgQ/W88O7ubCMEI/AAAAAAAAF1M/-YeIzAzLVCsZrOQX3fS61dNR5mfJE6LyQCLcBGAs/s1600/Mess%2Blife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1497" data-original-width="981" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_-hTySm-bgQ/W88O7ubCMEI/AAAAAAAAF1M/-YeIzAzLVCsZrOQX3fS61dNR5mfJE6LyQCLcBGAs/s320/Mess%2Blife.jpg" width="209" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">One of many formal dinner nights<br /><u></u></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOLCkPDMapU/W88PDnKcP0I/AAAAAAAAF1Q/i63MJCF2DrAIsy1ENeVyZuwmO5dqry11gCLcBGAs/s1600/SCAN0032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="992" data-original-width="1488" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOLCkPDMapU/W88PDnKcP0I/AAAAAAAAF1Q/i63MJCF2DrAIsy1ENeVyZuwmO5dqry11gCLcBGAs/s320/SCAN0032.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">A formal dinner almost at the end of our Russian language course. Somebody, perhaps unwisely, decided to play Boney M's Rasputin. Cue drunken dancing on the table!</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td style="text-align: justify;" width="50%"><div class="western"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><u>Part III - The Royal Auxiliary Air Force</u></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">10 very interesting years as a Russian Interpreter in the RAuxAF. Here are just a few of the highlights:</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><u></u></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col> <col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4hu7mM_8Tk8/W84IWqiNalI/AAAAAAAAF0M/zqylFIjrJBUtX3ahiby6E95zyBPEQIjNwCLcBGAs/s1600/2004-10-10%2B13.25.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4hu7mM_8Tk8/W84IWqiNalI/AAAAAAAAF0M/zqylFIjrJBUtX3ahiby6E95zyBPEQIjNwCLcBGAs/s320/2004-10-10%2B13.25.38.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b0sVm_wf-Kc/W84Ie9BS8GI/AAAAAAAAF0Q/xhMspXlrblk3YFVkmlmBBqhfiTe_7fLegCLcBGAs/s1600/2005-02-21%2B19.45.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b0sVm_wf-Kc/W84Ie9BS8GI/AAAAAAAAF0Q/xhMspXlrblk3YFVkmlmBBqhfiTe_7fLegCLcBGAs/s320/2005-02-21%2B19.45.12.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Above: </b>meeting HM The Queen on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the RAuxAF. 2005</span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Left: </b>Helping out the Royal Navy during a ship visit to St Petersburg. 2004</span></div></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W8SDyN54JD0/W84In8pXbHI/AAAAAAAAF0Y/mhD9jvTHRZU9QS9SHsRR_NfT7XUfnLfigCLcBGAs/s1600/2006-09-11%2B10.14.08.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W8SDyN54JD0/W84In8pXbHI/AAAAAAAAF0Y/mhD9jvTHRZU9QS9SHsRR_NfT7XUfnLfigCLcBGAs/s320/2006-09-11%2B10.14.08.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Squadron Training in Cyprus 2006</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-217suK_QCLI/W84I0VlVqfI/AAAAAAAAF0g/y3sxFm3TL_YC5qAetWLdKU7HzkfCHR5mgCLcBGAs/s1600/2007-09-08%2B14.19.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-217suK_QCLI/W84I0VlVqfI/AAAAAAAAF0g/y3sxFm3TL_YC5qAetWLdKU7HzkfCHR5mgCLcBGAs/s320/2007-09-08%2B14.19.35.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">2005. At a dedication ceremony to the Russian ship Varyag, scuttled off the West coast of Scotland. </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><u>Part IV - Teaching English - in Moscow, Warsaw and Salou</u></span><br /><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col> <col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kaE8Wm4vajA/W88QPbehUjI/AAAAAAAAF1g/-Hon5yCCczo7Nhvz8xr25lOv6Av0koibQCLcBGAs/s1600/Moscow%2B2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kaE8Wm4vajA/W88QPbehUjI/AAAAAAAAF1g/-Hon5yCCczo7Nhvz8xr25lOv6Av0koibQCLcBGAs/s320/Moscow%2B2011.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Moscow, of course, couldn't be anywhere else!</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G38pd1iqvPo/W88QXKBj3gI/AAAAAAAAF1k/j-tuyDiakO8P90NIvji5PzW6gcxdkVcnACLcBGAs/s1600/Lodz%2BApr%2B2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="528" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G38pd1iqvPo/W88QXKBj3gI/AAAAAAAAF1k/j-tuyDiakO8P90NIvji5PzW6gcxdkVcnACLcBGAs/s320/Lodz%2BApr%2B2015.jpg" width="176" /></a></span></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Lodz (pronounced Woodz) in Poland </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><u></u></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="85*"></col> <col width="85*"></col> <col width="85*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VF1-hpIdEyI/W88dAc8eq0I/AAAAAAAAF10/4nNtUgnbZOk6x9WdpNjJ2fHVXhRui4l1QCLcBGAs/s1600/2009-05-18%2B14.30.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="1600" height="123" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VF1-hpIdEyI/W88dAc8eq0I/AAAAAAAAF10/4nNtUgnbZOk6x9WdpNjJ2fHVXhRui4l1QCLcBGAs/s200/2009-05-18%2B14.30.24.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f7XKA_q9T48/W88dIvP1j_I/AAAAAAAAF14/XHWXsEuFJtY9dbrKCkzRgiTUt0qOaAZWQCLcBGAs/s1600/2010-03-15%2B15.35.36-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f7XKA_q9T48/W88dIvP1j_I/AAAAAAAAF14/XHWXsEuFJtY9dbrKCkzRgiTUt0qOaAZWQCLcBGAs/s200/2010-03-15%2B15.35.36-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5mkI4NEURUA/W88dQI3nTaI/AAAAAAAAF18/AhsFNaMtRIk_XFCZlwvl6UkvAhX_YdY1wCLcBGAs/s1600/2010-08-12%2B11.10.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5mkI4NEURUA/W88dQI3nTaI/AAAAAAAAF18/AhsFNaMtRIk_XFCZlwvl6UkvAhX_YdY1wCLcBGAs/s200/2010-08-12%2B11.10.05.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9v8DfO7GryE/W88dfyw4MaI/AAAAAAAAF2I/s_ncAD6_mesdtkirEbYBSEoXr7wgNPC_wCLcBGAs/s1600/2010-08-13%2B19.22.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9v8DfO7GryE/W88dfyw4MaI/AAAAAAAAF2I/s_ncAD6_mesdtkirEbYBSEoXr7wgNPC_wCLcBGAs/s200/2010-08-13%2B19.22.45.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q0btvZU_9kI/W88dnZDEnMI/AAAAAAAAF2M/3ZG68PPOw8YXJjpTl0MUmwsZLH47m4eqwCLcBGAs/s1600/2011-03-30%2B10.28.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q0btvZU_9kI/W88dnZDEnMI/AAAAAAAAF2M/3ZG68PPOw8YXJjpTl0MUmwsZLH47m4eqwCLcBGAs/s200/2011-03-30%2B10.28.48.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n-SIUQvFhUI/W88dwfLqRyI/AAAAAAAAF2Q/_bJZ5vqoRnENT0bH_3gr7gPMGsLJFK8zwCLcBGAs/s1600/2011-05-25%2B08.04.30-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="444" height="151" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n-SIUQvFhUI/W88dwfLqRyI/AAAAAAAAF2Q/_bJZ5vqoRnENT0bH_3gr7gPMGsLJFK8zwCLcBGAs/s200/2011-05-25%2B08.04.30-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><u>Part V - Sports (Marathons, hill walking, fishing, sailing, horse riding</u></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr valign="TOP"><td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1VmW5kbyOUU/W88sJRG4MaI/AAAAAAAAF2k/FoHX1_m7WqARv-qf64ulZQJAZYiONIPOwCLcBGAs/s1600/Marathon%2B1995.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1315" data-original-width="1165" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1VmW5kbyOUU/W88sJRG4MaI/AAAAAAAAF2k/FoHX1_m7WqARv-qf64ulZQJAZYiONIPOwCLcBGAs/s320/Marathon%2B1995.png" width="283" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uC4scM5vYow/W88scA77RAI/AAAAAAAAF2s/SzvloBlV-VwQVYwMxU9nOfT2K3hg_h3mgCLcBGAs/s1600/Marathon%2B1998.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1550" data-original-width="1189" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uC4scM5vYow/W88scA77RAI/AAAAAAAAF2s/SzvloBlV-VwQVYwMxU9nOfT2K3hg_h3mgCLcBGAs/s320/Marathon%2B1998.png" width="245" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-677_Ylx6NIw/W88sma8ecwI/AAAAAAAAF2w/q5hZLS0EEZQ8J2mv5uxx58GVhpNZiHogACLcBGAs/s1600/Ben%2BNevis%2BApr%2B07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="604" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-677_Ylx6NIw/W88sma8ecwI/AAAAAAAAF2w/q5hZLS0EEZQ8J2mv5uxx58GVhpNZiHogACLcBGAs/s320/Ben%2BNevis%2BApr%2B07.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Ben Nevis with my son Gareth. 2007</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3DIjy2mOpKA/W88su9TvL_I/AAAAAAAAF24/tgGv89MekH0ITnxDG6NkYSFr6lsolnhOQCLcBGAs/s1600/2008-01-17%2B09.49.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1071" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3DIjy2mOpKA/W88su9TvL_I/AAAAAAAAF24/tgGv89MekH0ITnxDG6NkYSFr6lsolnhOQCLcBGAs/s320/2008-01-17%2B09.49.48.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fvf0o-5j4Jo/W88s8pQWSeI/AAAAAAAAF3A/bJ6P33gdvA4PeCFr9-DbtRekditsp1ZDQCLcBGAs/s1600/2003-08-06%2B20.50.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fvf0o-5j4Jo/W88s8pQWSeI/AAAAAAAAF3A/bJ6P33gdvA4PeCFr9-DbtRekditsp1ZDQCLcBGAs/s320/2003-08-06%2B20.50.26.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="western"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ikcUR0nW21Q/W89E9ixDw7I/AAAAAAAAF4s/Lq6NyzgmqjcLFaNjzl6NZvoCSR3pSmPAACLcBGAs/s1600/44737949_308571406541069_3372771692232310784_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ikcUR0nW21Q/W89E9ixDw7I/AAAAAAAAF4s/Lq6NyzgmqjcLFaNjzl6NZvoCSR3pSmPAACLcBGAs/s320/44737949_308571406541069_3372771692232310784_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nYiiGcUpaxk/W88tIs-GYeI/AAAAAAAAF3E/Yl7u_Gy0OT8QtyLIT1R8BnvEXYsS7X5LACLcBGAs/s1600/scan0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="666" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nYiiGcUpaxk/W88tIs-GYeI/AAAAAAAAF3E/Yl7u_Gy0OT8QtyLIT1R8BnvEXYsS7X5LACLcBGAs/s320/scan0001.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pb8X1G5-D7Q/W88tYt-235I/AAAAAAAAF3Q/TmDnYHN4JYwjG4adZSFlmgOTQzdL1fbigCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20160401_115022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pb8X1G5-D7Q/W88tYt-235I/AAAAAAAAF3Q/TmDnYHN4JYwjG4adZSFlmgOTQzdL1fbigCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_20160401_115022.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Above: </b>Rutland Water with Dave Grundy 2016</span></span></div><div class="western"><br /></div><div class="western"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Left: </b>Russian (Zavidovo) 1979 with a much younger daughter</span></span></div></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ipd5MTHYnDg/W88tjCAhupI/AAAAAAAAF3U/CKM7VdHshys21iQgfOo9W6hn3kk7B-SfwCLcBGAs/s1600/2008-01-13%2B10.10.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ipd5MTHYnDg/W88tjCAhupI/AAAAAAAAF3U/CKM7VdHshys21iQgfOo9W6hn3kk7B-SfwCLcBGAs/s320/2008-01-13%2B10.10.23.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div><div class="western"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>Above and right: </b>fishing off Ascension Island</span></span></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-azUMHvRPhTU/W88tseBCWTI/AAAAAAAAF3Y/M8ytWOVMMVMPIBPm8_N32lfuef1m7oiBACLcBGAs/s1600/2008-01-13%2B10.14.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-azUMHvRPhTU/W88tseBCWTI/AAAAAAAAF3Y/M8ytWOVMMVMPIBPm8_N32lfuef1m7oiBACLcBGAs/s320/2008-01-13%2B10.14.54.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><u><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Part VI - and the fun just goes on and on....</span></u><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col> <col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W6Dfpus9xIM/W88uT2vzJaI/AAAAAAAAF3o/etcfagY-jkIfwl0J11z598rbznOyM-jVQCLcBGAs/s1600/DSC_0057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W6Dfpus9xIM/W88uT2vzJaI/AAAAAAAAF3o/etcfagY-jkIfwl0J11z598rbznOyM-jVQCLcBGAs/s320/DSC_0057.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">With daughter, Mo, at the RAF Club </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-83BsCtYkcV0/W88uodvKr_I/AAAAAAAAF3w/PIWtS4ru81MbeOx7EwHgjyNndCMw8OBBgCLcBGAs/s1600/2011-05-08%2B15.11.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-83BsCtYkcV0/W88uodvKr_I/AAAAAAAAF3w/PIWtS4ru81MbeOx7EwHgjyNndCMw8OBBgCLcBGAs/s320/2011-05-08%2B15.11.05.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Cheers!</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-90056821134893578932018-10-16T15:09:00.000+02:002018-10-16T15:09:24.557+02:00419: The rain in Spain falls mainly on the train<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/Invernadero_de_Atocha%2C_Madrid_-_view_2.JPG/220px-Invernadero_de_Atocha%2C_Madrid_-_view_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for Madrid Atocha railway station" border="0" class="irc_mi" height="300" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/Invernadero_de_Atocha%2C_Madrid_-_view_2.JPG/220px-Invernadero_de_Atocha%2C_Madrid_-_view_2.JPG" width="400" /></a></span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Haven't written a blog for 6 weeks. A little bit remiss, but really I haven't been travelling very much lately. I remedied that at the weekend by taking the train to Madrid (via Valencia) on Friday and back to Salou (via camp de Tarragona) on Sunday. On the AVE train on Friday the speed was being displayed on a screen in each carriage and I marvelled as we hurtled through the countryside at speeds of up to 300 km/h. I remember daydreaming and wondering what prompted people to vote for Brexit. I can't imagine trains in UK ever reaching anything like that speed. Especially once we become socially and politically isolated when the drawbridge has been pulled up and the portcullis lowered. But this is not the platform for political diatribe against Brexiters. Talking about platforms, Madrid's Atocha railway station is, I think, the largest I have ever seen anywhere. It services suburban, regional, and high-speed AVE trains and part of it is given over to a large display of greenery - perhaps a lot of it taken from the nearby botanical gardens. On Friday evening it was a simple matter of changing from AVE to a suburban train to allow onward travel to my hotel, but on Sunday it took forever to find an exit to the street. I put my little wheelie suitcase in to left luggage and went for a wander around the city. When I came back a couple of hours later I was amazed by the length of the queue to put items into left luggage. Almost as long as that at the Prado. Not quite, of course. That queue wound round and round and reminded me of the old Soviet times when people queued for hours to visit Lenin's mausoleum on Red Square.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I spent much of Saturday on one of those open-topped tourist buses that now operate in many of the world's capital cities. I don't often use them as I think they are quite expensive. But perhaps one of the few benefits of being 'slightly' old is that pensioners rates are often applicable. Such was the case here. A 22 Euro ticket became 10 Euros for senior citizens. The hop-on, hop-off nature of these buses means that as anything 'takes your fancy' on the way round you can get off and explore in greater detail and then get back on to continue the tour. There are two separate routes around Madrid, the 'historical' tour and the 'city centre' tour. I managed them both.Here are a few of the pictures I took.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-exLT4sXbZ2w/W8XWNV_s9TI/AAAAAAAAFxg/k6jlYzeDZc8Y02wC62geKxv1kcNZdZh0gCLcBGAs/s1600/20181013_105333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-exLT4sXbZ2w/W8XWNV_s9TI/AAAAAAAAFxg/k6jlYzeDZc8Y02wC62geKxv1kcNZdZh0gCLcBGAs/s320/20181013_105333.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="85*"></col> <col width="85*"></col> <col width="85*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-trJ9G2n4_vc/W8Xdm0ryZUI/AAAAAAAAFxs/bwHfqnCYl_IHgBCmHX7RTe0VxAAeSkwKQCLcBGAs/s1600/20181013_100535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-trJ9G2n4_vc/W8Xdm0ryZUI/AAAAAAAAFxs/bwHfqnCYl_IHgBCmHX7RTe0VxAAeSkwKQCLcBGAs/s200/20181013_100535.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qdsOI-dGWbA/W8XeBe-6III/AAAAAAAAFx0/7cAlXhfkOswI2PhBuqpqsam5kEvlnDNyQCLcBGAs/s1600/20181013_102652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qdsOI-dGWbA/W8XeBe-6III/AAAAAAAAFx0/7cAlXhfkOswI2PhBuqpqsam5kEvlnDNyQCLcBGAs/s200/20181013_102652.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_q1z1TWa7Es/W8XeaslFMHI/AAAAAAAAFx8/-JzPY6ilWCYv2kJwcRuo0MTDbGbPiyRHwCLcBGAs/s1600/20181013_105030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_q1z1TWa7Es/W8XeaslFMHI/AAAAAAAAFx8/-JzPY6ilWCYv2kJwcRuo0MTDbGbPiyRHwCLcBGAs/s200/20181013_105030.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YjjHuTvEllQ/W8Xe4d_Yo6I/AAAAAAAAFyI/IxHB_aNpD-ou3UaYpw0OSuYmUlzcEttlwCLcBGAs/s1600/20181013_105052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YjjHuTvEllQ/W8Xe4d_Yo6I/AAAAAAAAFyI/IxHB_aNpD-ou3UaYpw0OSuYmUlzcEttlwCLcBGAs/s200/20181013_105052.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--SGUIBS7NBY/W8XfilynC6I/AAAAAAAAFyQ/M2WEOPoZD0AJqv5R2wDab4UmcWZAijEJgCLcBGAs/s1600/20181013_130859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--SGUIBS7NBY/W8XfilynC6I/AAAAAAAAFyQ/M2WEOPoZD0AJqv5R2wDab4UmcWZAijEJgCLcBGAs/s200/20181013_130859.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LMse7SQv8kE/W8XgO2NapbI/AAAAAAAAFyc/GLZlWRU0Qx4XBfRXzOOevd8ZdHIBXZ6-QCLcBGAs/s1600/20181013_131025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LMse7SQv8kE/W8XgO2NapbI/AAAAAAAAFyc/GLZlWRU0Qx4XBfRXzOOevd8ZdHIBXZ6-QCLcBGAs/s200/20181013_131025.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table></div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">A quick video to finish off, to remind me of the rain pounding on the roof of the train as it whizzed through the countryside from Madrid to camp de Tarragona. I also quite liked Rex Harrison's quote "the majesty and grandeur of the English language is the greatest possession we have". (Notwithstanding that grandeur is originally from French). </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xmADMB2utAo" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-36290326711798854472018-09-03T19:47:00.001+02:002018-09-03T19:47:19.798+02:00418: Going Dutch (Part II) (Rotterdam)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Note for students: In English to go Dutch means that if you're going out with somebody then you agree to split the costs 50:50. (a penny bun only costs a penny rather than two pence!)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I'm at Rotterdam airport waiting for my flight to Barcelona. It's quite a small airport so no business lounge. This is a shame as it means I have to keep putting my hand in my pocket for coffee and muffins etc.&nbsp; </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">As I said earlier, in going Dutch (Part I), Holland is a great place. The Dutch seem to be a peaceable and peace-loving people and almost everyone you meet is bilingual, or at least with a very good command of English.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Yet again I've missed the chance of visiting a 'special' coffee shop. Maybe next time I'll be able to say High instead of Hi.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I walked just over 29,000 steps on Saturday so was very surprised to find I still had the energy left in my legs to walk a further 12,000 yesterday while I was exploring Rotterdam. I walked from the hotel to the river and was about to board a 'water bus' to visit the famous windmills at Kinderdijk when I discovered it was only going one way. Perhaps I could have got a bus back but better safe than sorry.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">A word of warning. Be careful if you want to walk from one side of a railway station to the other. In both Rotterdam and Arnhem you needed a ticket to get through the automatic barriers. I have no reason to suppose it is not the same at other (major) stations. There are no friendly assistants standing at the barrier to help out the unwary traveller who may have gone out at the wrong exit. Luckily that didn't happen to me. For a change I had my eyes open and my wits about me.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Another word of warning. Yesterday was the second time I've gone to buy something in Holland to be told they don't accept cash - cards only. Money, in the form of coins and banknotes, is on the way out!&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Took quite a few pictures yesterday and here are a few of them, hopefully to give you a flavour of the place. I've tried to show both the maritime nature of the city and the super-modern high-rise buildings. Note the syntactical difference between super-modern and super,modern,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="85*"></col> <col width="85*"></col> <col width="85*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"> <div class="western"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G9D0Jtd3wm4/W41rx41LmJI/AAAAAAAAFo0/-YzymkP5Ee4QEdQkenL7xIF14zTWmQwGgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180902_155834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G9D0Jtd3wm4/W41rx41LmJI/AAAAAAAAFo0/-YzymkP5Ee4QEdQkenL7xIF14zTWmQwGgCLcBGAs/s200/20180902_155834.jpg" width="200" /></a><br /> </div></td> <td width="33%"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sVntM34IIzw/W41sm_DxSwI/AAAAAAAAFo8/s_wCNIKKl4gCh0D-CYUIIxTUIxjKcAH0ACLcBGAs/s1600/20180902_154935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sVntM34IIzw/W41sm_DxSwI/AAAAAAAAFo8/s_wCNIKKl4gCh0D-CYUIIxTUIxjKcAH0ACLcBGAs/s200/20180902_154935.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /> </div></td> <td width="33%"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HoVkpDYhPz4/W41taNSXpgI/AAAAAAAAFpI/N9hdnwmZguM3xUV0v8uxGqwmMTd5b5aegCLcBGAs/s1600/20180902_154815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HoVkpDYhPz4/W41taNSXpgI/AAAAAAAAFpI/N9hdnwmZguM3xUV0v8uxGqwmMTd5b5aegCLcBGAs/s200/20180902_154815.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /> </div></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w00Ijc8FRFM/W41uCBEbqpI/AAAAAAAAFpQ/t-qiAnGwPPM0QMfe4Pdt4aWU5xIKBFNlQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180902_160759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w00Ijc8FRFM/W41uCBEbqpI/AAAAAAAAFpQ/t-qiAnGwPPM0QMfe4Pdt4aWU5xIKBFNlQCLcBGAs/s200/20180902_160759.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /> </div></td> <td width="33%"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XZl9Jv72KNw/W41uiGyTs2I/AAAAAAAAFpc/ND6xfKaPjcA6wix94wz3o1sRZe1hFLENwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180902_162058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XZl9Jv72KNw/W41uiGyTs2I/AAAAAAAAFpc/ND6xfKaPjcA6wix94wz3o1sRZe1hFLENwCLcBGAs/s200/20180902_162058.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /> </div></td> <td width="33%"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-41c4LCeDrT4/W41vRT05_QI/AAAAAAAAFpk/ZAUEmthMoeY7Tm1AsI0PdS97Twnr6sr6QCLcBGAs/s1600/20180902_165340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-41c4LCeDrT4/W41vRT05_QI/AAAAAAAAFpk/ZAUEmthMoeY7Tm1AsI0PdS97Twnr6sr6QCLcBGAs/s200/20180902_165340.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /> </div></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-14s4H6zU5v0/W41wGjl0iFI/AAAAAAAAFpw/k_If1AZyvJAgnMuzYGkxT7TQ5TmRE-4fwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180902_160559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-14s4H6zU5v0/W41wGjl0iFI/AAAAAAAAFpw/k_If1AZyvJAgnMuzYGkxT7TQ5TmRE-4fwCLcBGAs/s200/20180902_160559.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /> </div></td> <td width="33%"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6dvgisaMwc/W41wsoKdVAI/AAAAAAAAFp4/YImBsw2u61YoffAU1YTQm6J5gb_wgUv5gCLcBGAs/s1600/20180902_174106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u6dvgisaMwc/W41wsoKdVAI/AAAAAAAAFp4/YImBsw2u61YoffAU1YTQm6J5gb_wgUv5gCLcBGAs/s200/20180902_174106.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /> </div></td> <td width="33%"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--482kNLNiD8/W41xplkAFPI/AAAAAAAAFqE/fmutzt9Liu0pzcoAaew7YsS8PvScfrkpACLcBGAs/s1600/20180902_174555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--482kNLNiD8/W41xplkAFPI/AAAAAAAAFqE/fmutzt9Liu0pzcoAaew7YsS8PvScfrkpACLcBGAs/s200/20180902_174555.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /> </div></td> </tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iODg_uRLUjo?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-87926107802190402662018-09-03T10:16:00.000+02:002018-09-03T10:16:58.495+02:00417: Going Dutch (Part I)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last Friday I flew from Stansted to Amsterdam and took a couple of trains to get from Schipol airport to Arnhem (via Utrecht). The double-decker Dutch trains are comfortable and run at quite a reasonable speed.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Image result for dutch double decker trains" class="rg_ic rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRY3UVwTr3TgxtsrSEMLGZ6NJk6U0xotrRnHl-hu8uwg5powaPw" height="179" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRY3UVwTr3TgxtsrSEMLGZ6NJk6U0xotrRnHl-hu8uwg5powaPw" style="height: 168px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 7px; width: 300px;" width="320" />&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I like Holland and I particularly like Arnhem. My 3* hotel (Arnhem Central) was a 2-minute walk from the station. It was perfectly adequate for the 2 nights I was there. Enjoyed a very nice carbonara mirada in an Italian restaurant called Pinocchio, named after he of the ever-lengthening nose. It appears that over the years a lot of people have drunk a lot of wine as the ceiling is full of empty wine bottle containers (aka ?)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_s1pUrAHqt0/W4zlEqZ1jnI/AAAAAAAAFnI/ljpt1hv8RLsP-5zZ2XuNKfYpvg8-ewTBQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180831_200703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_s1pUrAHqt0/W4zlEqZ1jnI/AAAAAAAAFnI/ljpt1hv8RLsP-5zZ2XuNKfYpvg8-ewTBQCLcBGAs/s400/20180831_200703.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Saturday morning a fleet of buses carried thousands of people from Arnhem bus station to Oosterbeek ready for the Airborne walk. This takes place every year on the 1st Saturday of September and commemorates the part played by airborne forces in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Market_Garden" target="_blank">Operation Market Garden</a>.&nbsp; I heard estimates of more than 30,000 people taking part in the walk. They were walking either as individuals or as part of a group, over distances of either 10, 15, 25 or 40 kilometres. Just like last year I chose the 15 km route but I'm sure it was longer this time. It certainly felt like it towards the end. Motivation was improved at the end by tucking in behind one of the many bands. It is always uplifting 'marching' to music.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I walked some of it with my namesake Des Buckley and his wife Hilda. Unfortunately we lost each other during a toilet stop not far from the beginning and never met again until the end. Turns out I walked slowly waiting for them to catch up and they walked faster in a bid to catch up and, somehow, we missed each other in the crowd and they finished before I did. But at least we found each other at the end, where thousands of people were enjoying a well-earned beer, or two. The park was full of people lying (not Pinocchio this time) on the grass enjoying the beer and the sunshine. I knew it would be more difficult standing up than it was getting down, and so it proved.&nbsp;</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%;"> <colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jm92L91-A7o/W4zqIT0b9QI/AAAAAAAAFnU/_4TJyVD33dEJWGNSyLe8lC3PhSwIONYnwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180901_134850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jm92L91-A7o/W4zqIT0b9QI/AAAAAAAAFnU/_4TJyVD33dEJWGNSyLe8lC3PhSwIONYnwCLcBGAs/s200/20180901_134850.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r9gC_XmgeXI/W4zqZhmlvoI/AAAAAAAAFnc/NvgeSU_9gbMmeEj7pXDXRIZadrOHQmEmQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180901_142004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r9gC_XmgeXI/W4zqZhmlvoI/AAAAAAAAFnc/NvgeSU_9gbMmeEj7pXDXRIZadrOHQmEmQCLcBGAs/s200/20180901_142004.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EBkzQmXP6FA/W4zquoGB9lI/AAAAAAAAFnk/JZKFQ4g-E-cBeJzXpY5E1nXOqFziR1MFgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180901_142135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EBkzQmXP6FA/W4zquoGB9lI/AAAAAAAAFnk/JZKFQ4g-E-cBeJzXpY5E1nXOqFziR1MFgCLcBGAs/s200/20180901_142135.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One more picture, to prove I was really in Holland! This is the cycle park, under the train station in Arnhem.Bikes, as you would expect, were everywhere.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-agh7bQ-aCM0/W4zrUtgm4MI/AAAAAAAAFnw/_2NeNewzHpYSR9ryz9_C01G55JCfsXzAgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180902_110928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-agh7bQ-aCM0/W4zrUtgm4MI/AAAAAAAAFnw/_2NeNewzHpYSR9ryz9_C01G55JCfsXzAgCLcBGAs/s400/20180902_110928.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For today's video I have included the film 'A bridge too far', the 1977 film with Sean Connery and Robert Redford. It tells the story, albeit in Hollywood style, of Operation Market Garden. For copyright reasons the you tube police may not allow me to include this film. My apologies if it has been removed.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H21zi9hj9-A?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></span></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-18991371149979293822018-08-22T17:50:00.000+02:002018-08-22T17:50:09.276+02:00416:Get some in<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Get some in. A term often used in the military to somebody who hasn't been serving long. The British military now has only volunteers, no conscripts. National Service ended on 31 Dec 1960. For other countries, that still have conscription, there are various ways of making the service seem to pass quicker. In Russia, for example, I heard that the young soldiers get themselves a one-metre rule and for the last 100 days cut off 1 cm each day.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">How did I get onto the topic of 'get some in'? Oh, yes. I have been practising for the Oosterbeek march that I shall be doing on Saturday 1st September along with a namesake of mine - 2 Des Buckleys, can you imagine? The march, near Arnhem in Holland, attracts thousands of entrants every year and they offer a choice of distance. I plan to walk 15km, the same as last year. This morning I walked almost 9 km, from Cambrils to Salou. A beautiful walk alongside the Mediterranean, which I shared with hundreds of other walkers, runners and cyclists. A couple of points of note. Firstly the floral tribute to the victims of the terror attacks last year. If you remember there was an attack in Barcelona and another one in Cambrils. The flowers are looking a bit wilted but so would you if you were out all day in +30 degree heat. Another picture shows a view out to sea. The beach is still fairly empty as it is quite early in the day and it's between the two towns, the majority of sun-seekers beat a direct path from their hotel to beach.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">The only thing I don't like about the walk is the narrow strip between the boundaries of Cambrils and Salou where African immigrants lay out their wares on the path and sell everything from hats to trainers, from handbags to perfumes. They fill the pavement with their merchandise and force pedestrians to move onto the cycle path. I'm sure there must be quite a few crashes as cyclists come hurtling along 'their' designated track.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">The final picture, a space filler if you like, shows the IKEA bookcase I just assembled a couple of days ago and part of my somewhat eclectic choice of books.&nbsp; </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr valign="TOP"><td width="50%"><br /><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y2_SvE6C8nM/W32BZ6d3I9I/AAAAAAAAFiA/4bARcZCDggcg1UhfZkqj-ctJpqFhtSa-gCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180822_095220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y2_SvE6C8nM/W32BZ6d3I9I/AAAAAAAAFiA/4bARcZCDggcg1UhfZkqj-ctJpqFhtSa-gCEwYBhgL/s320/20180822_095220.jpg" width="320" /></a></td> <td width="50%"><div class="western"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2viwuGaLe_E/W32CogH6AbI/AAAAAAAAFiI/ycQ3FIucHaEMbIMdKwaqWMfZvEyrYQ8awCLcBGAs/s1600/20180822_095247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2viwuGaLe_E/W32CogH6AbI/AAAAAAAAFiI/ycQ3FIucHaEMbIMdKwaqWMfZvEyrYQ8awCLcBGAs/s320/20180822_095247.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="western"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BV16FjIsvZg/W32DCDlD9bI/AAAAAAAAFiQ/kEKGxIE52KoKrNZMJ_yzgkP8-K6ugOPTwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180822_100630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BV16FjIsvZg/W32DCDlD9bI/AAAAAAAAFiQ/kEKGxIE52KoKrNZMJ_yzgkP8-K6ugOPTwCLcBGAs/s320/20180822_100630.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="western"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EQyQEDOfe08/W32DhM36CSI/AAAAAAAAFiY/Rphj4bG41lU4flCIzxnHpvW_84FTy9aBACLcBGAs/s1600/20180822_103919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EQyQEDOfe08/W32DhM36CSI/AAAAAAAAFiY/Rphj4bG41lU4flCIzxnHpvW_84FTy9aBACLcBGAs/s320/20180822_103919.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G1TuXp-gQ_Y/W32EC9KdocI/AAAAAAAAFig/MFESnqA3m686HuU6xoDNFf_pHFcJbNyjACLcBGAs/s1600/20180820_150114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G1TuXp-gQ_Y/W32EC9KdocI/AAAAAAAAFig/MFESnqA3m686HuU6xoDNFf_pHFcJbNyjACLcBGAs/s400/20180820_150114.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">And a video, to finish off? Highlights of last year's Oosterbeek march. If you time the finish right, you get to 'march' in behind one of the many bands that play there. </span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">&nbsp; </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qAUrfcEWwT0?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-64240476018533300732018-08-08T19:37:00.000+02:002018-08-08T19:41:03.719+02:00415: The Southern cousins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">On 17th and 18th July, on the way North to Scotland, I visited as many of my Northern cousins as I could. These were all from my Dad's side of the family. Last Saturday, in an attempt to be impartial, I visited my Southern cousins - from my Mum's side of the family. Here is a sanitized picture of 10 of my Southern cousins lined up as though we're about to do the conga dance.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I've blanked their faces because I hadn't asked their permission to publish them on FB. These days, when every company seems to know every last detail about every person, I'm not sure I even had to ask their permission but it's only good manners not to plaster people's pictures all over the internet willy-nilly. N.B. my military background wanted 'tallest on the right, shortest on the left' but I was overruled and we are grouped by seniority!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yQh9pzXRhSQ/W2sdkUBkKKI/AAAAAAAAFgg/FqN4VFGKP_0ROY4wMUjKozWRmeKCKW58gCLcBGAs/s1600/The%2Bcousins%2Bsanitized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="960" height="412" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yQh9pzXRhSQ/W2sdkUBkKKI/AAAAAAAAFgg/FqN4VFGKP_0ROY4wMUjKozWRmeKCKW58gCLcBGAs/s640/The%2Bcousins%2Bsanitized.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">It was great to spend some time with both the Northern and the Southern cousins. I missed one of the Buckleys because he now lives in New Zealand. Perhaps a little trip out there in the not too-distant future? </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I spent Saturday night in the Clarendon hotel in Blackheath and early on Sunday morning got up for a run around Blackheath and into Greenwich park. It was magnificent. Stupidly I didn't take my phone with me so I've nicked these pics off Flickr. Greenwich park - the home of the zero meridian and boasting tremendous views down to the Thames and Canary Wharf on the other side of it. None of those high-rise office commercial buildings were there when I was growing up in this part of London. There's progress!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="85*"></col> <col width="85*"></col> <col width="85*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yH1WM_Go5V8/W2sigLqK6NI/AAAAAAAAFgs/AscI1Q-XJP0OmEiyP5BI_fNI0LOyj3eYwCLcBGAs/s1600/36459827245_2e2cb67c8b_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yH1WM_Go5V8/W2sigLqK6NI/AAAAAAAAFgs/AscI1Q-XJP0OmEiyP5BI_fNI0LOyj3eYwCLcBGAs/s1600/36459827245_2e2cb67c8b_m.jpg" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5-sGl5I4HU/W2skTPVyf5I/AAAAAAAAFg4/wBn73EsSwAcXi9X7kZTNVVxS6cShyG3jgCLcBGAs/s1600/4002145240_11cd7d5fff_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5-sGl5I4HU/W2skTPVyf5I/AAAAAAAAFg4/wBn73EsSwAcXi9X7kZTNVVxS6cShyG3jgCLcBGAs/s1600/4002145240_11cd7d5fff_m.jpg" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D-htR-opnT4/W2skdFD947I/AAAAAAAAFg8/dPAMNRWVFwMLUykTcilMVWhaZ6PkqeIggCLcBGAs/s1600/51629239_c84ffa581f_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D-htR-opnT4/W2skdFD947I/AAAAAAAAFg8/dPAMNRWVFwMLUykTcilMVWhaZ6PkqeIggCLcBGAs/s1600/51629239_c84ffa581f_m.jpg" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">On Monday, a trip to the passport office at Peterborough to pay an arm and a leg for a 4-hour passport. Actually an arm and a leg and £6 as they wanted me to give them a different set of photos - they couldn't believe the first set! It was a bit nerve-wracking sitting in the booth watching the message "not suitable for a passport" coming up. You can have up to 3 tries before you have to press print but all 3 attempts said "not suitable". What could I do but print them off. Luckily those awfully nice passport office people accepted them and I now have two passports, in case one needs to be away to have a visa added at the same time as I need a passport to travel somewhere else.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Yesterday I flew to Salou and had 'fun and games' with the train from Barcelona Sants to Salou. On the train, off the train, on the train. Another story for another day. Here is a pic of the information board at Cambridge railway station</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span id="goog_2003670446"></span><span id="goog_2003670447"></span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0D0QyxmgDtI/W2snsvwSSWI/AAAAAAAAFhM/IqB3eoS3ENkYA3upzv55XAKBbE_Yi4FewCLcBGAs/s1600/20180807_085540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0D0QyxmgDtI/W2snsvwSSWI/AAAAAAAAFhM/IqB3eoS3ENkYA3upzv55XAKBbE_Yi4FewCLcBGAs/s320/20180807_085540.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Today's video is the old "Yes Minister" sketch about the European Union.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rvYuoWyk8iU?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-21890727659905591022018-08-01T18:02:00.001+02:002018-09-03T10:17:36.482+02:00414: A bridge too far... <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Went for a walk around Strath Brora on Monday. (Strath is a Scottish/English word for a broad mountain valley). A fox ran out from the side of the road and then ran along in front of the car for a few hundred metres as we were driving to the start. (Note for Gwen &amp; Clive: this townie knew it was a fox as Alisdair told me it was 😁)&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">We weren't going fast as it is single track road out in the hills. Took us longer to get to the start than we had intended as both of us had maps that stopped a few miles short of our FUP (once upon a time it was military jargon to mean 'forming up point' I see it now also means 'Fair Usage Policy'!). We eventually discovered our mistake and turned back. We parked the car, had a quick caffeine fix and set off. The walk was just over 11 miles and took a little over 4 hours. It was over a mix of road, path and track. </span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">The scenery was magnificent. </span>The weather was kind to us all the way round. A bonus in the Highlands of Scotland. The legs were pleased when we got to the end.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Off for a pint and a game of pool in the evening, walking/waddling down the high street as if we were practising for a grant from the Ministry of Silly Walks (see video).&nbsp;</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8d7oRcLEiT4/W2HUaPahvxI/AAAAAAAAFe8/0hyvAkPPBTA6vfp6PGPACAqoi6aCW-L7ACLcBGAs/s1600/20180727_204208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8d7oRcLEiT4/W2HUaPahvxI/AAAAAAAAFe8/0hyvAkPPBTA6vfp6PGPACAqoi6aCW-L7ACLcBGAs/s640/20180727_204208.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">&nbsp; </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col> <col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H8PZMIOu--U/W2HU6E27q0I/AAAAAAAAFfE/JFrWKA15phYvbMxozz3n7q7b-Xx1fhwIgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180730_124510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H8PZMIOu--U/W2HU6E27q0I/AAAAAAAAFfE/JFrWKA15phYvbMxozz3n7q7b-Xx1fhwIgCLcBGAs/s320/20180730_124510.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">small lakes in the hills are called lochans</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dnQtKW4o6c8/W2HVIonsxOI/AAAAAAAAFfI/z-B7qK4Ix9sPHd-wOFgu_UvqAsr0yZdMgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180730_134057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dnQtKW4o6c8/W2HVIonsxOI/AAAAAAAAFfI/z-B7qK4Ix9sPHd-wOFgu_UvqAsr0yZdMgCLcBGAs/s320/20180730_134057.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the long and winding road...</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="western"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--rQqVIhQ1WI/W2HV2KGHXVI/AAAAAAAAFfY/CPTnH4OTZjYJLc5af3SbuHo2eWddbAYEACLcBGAs/s1600/20180730_135307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--rQqVIhQ1WI/W2HV2KGHXVI/AAAAAAAAFfY/CPTnH4OTZjYJLc5af3SbuHo2eWddbAYEACLcBGAs/s320/20180730_135307.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="western"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yKrlurkQmGI/W2HWBdEybDI/AAAAAAAAFfc/OrDG8ayTue0WEv99MHREEmWaajg2PTV0gCLcBGAs/s1600/20180730_144131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yKrlurkQmGI/W2HWBdEybDI/AAAAAAAAFfc/OrDG8ayTue0WEv99MHREEmWaajg2PTV0gCLcBGAs/s320/20180730_144131.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a cairn in the foreground and unsightly wind turbines in the background. They seem to be everywhere in Great Britain.</td></tr></tbody></table></div></td> </tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iV2ViNJFZC8?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-82504355094750604072018-07-25T15:54:00.000+02:002018-07-25T15:54:03.671+02:00413: Golspie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No blog for over a month. Sorry. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'm halfway through my annual Summer visit to Golspie. In the last 46 years I have only missed one or two Summer visits. It's not that I always like to holiday in the same place but these are duty visits as much as anything else. Mother-in-law has lived here all her life. (cue to the 2 Ronnies joke. Q:have you lived here all your life? A: not yet.)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I try to get out and about as much as I can while I'm here and this visit is no exception. I drove down to Inverness on the first day - the capital of the Highlands. It used to take almost two hours to drive to Inverness as the A9 trunk road followed the contours of the coast but over the years three bridges have been added and the journey more closely follows the route a crow might take. On a good day it takes an hour but only if you are lucky enough not to be stuck behind slow-moving lorries or caravans.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><table border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" rules="NONE" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%;"> <colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"><div class="western"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDFclnD0VJ0/W1h3xmlaBHI/AAAAAAAAFcA/PHFJ0JB9KUUMMgKoC6mzg0FCU2sdUQESwCLcBGAs/s1600/Dornoch_Firth_Bridge_%2528west_side%2529_-_geograph.org.uk_-_286814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDFclnD0VJ0/W1h3xmlaBHI/AAAAAAAAFcA/PHFJ0JB9KUUMMgKoC6mzg0FCU2sdUQESwCLcBGAs/s200/Dornoch_Firth_Bridge_%2528west_side%2529_-_geograph.org.uk_-_286814.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dornoch firth bridge</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="western"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sZ5D7JGaW44/W1h4SwzT9oI/AAAAAAAAFcI/S5US1nz-GY4aGaFd7-bNg6d9K_wlkaAPQCLcBGAs/s1600/03482974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="450" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sZ5D7JGaW44/W1h4SwzT9oI/AAAAAAAAFcI/S5US1nz-GY4aGaFd7-bNg6d9K_wlkaAPQCLcBGAs/s200/03482974.jpg" width="169" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cromarty firth bridge</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="western"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RV234yISE54/W1h6dj1-1BI/AAAAAAAAFcU/KtH6RQ4KV88cvCnz5tQ91qlxapF19LumgCLcBGAs/s1600/00126034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="207" data-original-width="250" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RV234yISE54/W1h6dj1-1BI/AAAAAAAAFcU/KtH6RQ4KV88cvCnz5tQ91qlxapF19LumgCLcBGAs/s1600/00126034.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Kessock bridge</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been for two walks (so far), the first one into the hills although time was short so I only got as far as the point where the cycle track crosses the foot path. Still, a nice view down onto the village.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OUhRr3ls1ig/W1h8fzKmWdI/AAAAAAAAFcg/k6BuKaAaY7kO6LRYxqZrUKJCWO1VxfvDQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180723_111641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OUhRr3ls1ig/W1h8fzKmWdI/AAAAAAAAFcg/k6BuKaAaY7kO6LRYxqZrUKJCWO1VxfvDQCLcBGAs/s320/20180723_111641.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yjfZCqjeXPo/W1h86SRldHI/AAAAAAAAFco/2oO1Lxj28LU5nv21LnXeerAzhpneEv2tQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180723_112214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yjfZCqjeXPo/W1h86SRldHI/AAAAAAAAFco/2oO1Lxj28LU5nv21LnXeerAzhpneEv2tQCLcBGAs/s320/20180723_112214.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yesterday I had a pleasant walk along the beach, from Brora to Golspie. A distance of about 6 miles. A lovely view of Dunrobin castle<i> en passant.&nbsp;</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zTElzXd6Pjw/W1h9nDGuAyI/AAAAAAAAFc0/LvNBiYK9VDYJ7IpWMlf8tYx5QKeYrND0QCLcBGAs/s1600/20180724_122558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zTElzXd6Pjw/W1h9nDGuAyI/AAAAAAAAFc0/LvNBiYK9VDYJ7IpWMlf8tYx5QKeYrND0QCLcBGAs/s400/20180724_122558.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The video clip to finish off today's blog is all about "a wee hoosie in the hielans". Lyrics included to help with understanding! Sassenachs may still struggle, even with the help of the lyrics. It's easier for me, I've done the course!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5NYqg3OfIEw?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-80328248388953457262018-06-21T10:10:00.001+02:002018-06-21T10:12:24.576+02:00412: Defence Discount Service <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=710846333764458277" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This particular blog is exclusively aimed at my UK military colleagues (serving or retired). At the risk of 'teaching grandmother to suck eggs' I wanted to draw your attention to the Defence Discount Service. Just in case you weren't aware of it.</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tz2WgJ8nTfg/WytdCnXrI2I/AAAAAAAAFXI/e3fgVdlLzeI6Q5wbGNg1vpSWxPgz2JL5ACLcBGAs/s1600/DDS.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="297" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Tz2WgJ8nTfg/WytdCnXrI2I/AAAAAAAAFXI/e3fgVdlLzeI6Q5wbGNg1vpSWxPgz2JL5ACLcBGAs/s1600/DDS.png" /></a></span></div></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The card has been around for a few years but I had always discarded the notion of applying for one because it isn't free! Recently I came to my senses and applied. It costs £4.99 and lasts for 5 years. Come on, what's £4.99. That can be recouped in very short order having nabbed a few discounts. Recently I finally decided to apply. They didn't accept the initial proof of service that I sent so I reinforced it with an Army Identity Card dated 1984 and a picture of me with Her Majesty the Queen. Between them those two pieces of evidence did the trick!</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9KFMgcmPlHg/WytWij2CeTI/AAAAAAAAFWo/NRckUqY9Z18zGkMVoPcnybAIUrxov0yUgCLcBGAs/s1600/2005-02-21%2B19.45.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1600" height="208" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9KFMgcmPlHg/WytWij2CeTI/AAAAAAAAFWo/NRckUqY9Z18zGkMVoPcnybAIUrxov0yUgCLcBGAs/s320/2005-02-21%2B19.45.12.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 'big' stores, Debenhams, M&amp;S etc don't accept the card - surprise, surprise, but there are a few hundred others that do. I was particularly pleased to see Patisserie Valerie on the list - who doesn't like to stop for a coffee and cake whilst out shopping.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bZfz6ljQyrw/WytX05s5DFI/AAAAAAAAFW0/AYboB3ERgyQ1pqVvT8HKHtDkVKVpsJ2lgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180619_111433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bZfz6ljQyrw/WytX05s5DFI/AAAAAAAAFW0/AYboB3ERgyQ1pqVvT8HKHtDkVKVpsJ2lgCLcBGAs/s320/20180619_111433.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, Oxford Street having exhausted me, I went for a liquid lunch with my sister and we ended up sharing another goldfish bowl sized G&amp;T.</span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hj3D5rmOZZ0/WytYwDDPcQI/AAAAAAAAFW8/wNzvgrnnTvUSx7WE6TPjovSPaZQuR4K_QCLcBGAs/s1600/20180619_124206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hj3D5rmOZZ0/WytYwDDPcQI/AAAAAAAAFW8/wNzvgrnnTvUSx7WE6TPjovSPaZQuR4K_QCLcBGAs/s320/20180619_124206.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Scrolling through Face Book this morning I was amused by a comment from another military veteran about his time in the service "it was all a game, to make you the person you are today".</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3lRRPduj_vE?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></span></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-76503399466135252122018-06-11T11:58:00.001+02:002018-06-11T11:59:52.545+02:00411: Three Queens in three days<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><u>Saturday's Queen:</u>&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">On Saturday evening I watched highlights on television of Her Majesty the Queen taking part in the Trooping the Colour ceremony. This takes place every year to celebrate her official birthday and, if I remember correctly from 2 days ago, this is the 63rd Trooping the Colour ceremony she has attended. Incredible! Nobody in the world does pomp and pageantry as well as we Brits. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CoWluVqMjKo?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><u>Sunday's Queen:&nbsp;</u></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I went to Barcelona to watch Queen (+ Alan Lambert) in concert in the Palau Sant Jordi. Turned out to be not such a good idea and I left after 15 minutes. Turns out that in such an enormous stadium the stage was that far away it was like watching ants performing.</span>&nbsp;</div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col> <col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iwcHpCUby_E/Wx48JgOXtmI/AAAAAAAAFUM/hQ0XjACVSLIA3DSLYFeo_AGIeIbr6XxFgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180610_195456%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iwcHpCUby_E/Wx48JgOXtmI/AAAAAAAAFUM/hQ0XjACVSLIA3DSLYFeo_AGIeIbr6XxFgCLcBGAs/s320/20180610_195456%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s01Epy8IUHE/Wx48reVAjbI/AAAAAAAAFUU/hbMCLhctK2UFydf-IHXYi9bQesLrZ9TvwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180610_204005%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s01Epy8IUHE/Wx48reVAjbI/AAAAAAAAFUU/hbMCLhctK2UFydf-IHXYi9bQesLrZ9TvwCLcBGAs/s320/20180610_204005%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;<span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">But hearing was a different story. It seemed to me that they were shouting instead of singing. I have absolutely no idea why the volume needs to be so loud. A bit of a paradox really - old people sometimes need to be shouted at so they can hear. Younger people, the majority of the audience, can, in theory, hear perfectly well. Why do they need to be shouted at? I don't understand. Call me an old fogey if you will, (all right, you're an old fogey), but I found myself wishing I was at an Andre Rieu concert or listening to some light classics in the Royal Albert Hall. I love all the old Queen songs but in future I shall watch them on You Tube with me choosing the volume.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">A couple more gripes, while I'm in the mood! I had thought about buying some 'merchandise', a Queen T-shirt or something similar. I nearly fell over when I saw the prices. 40-50 Euros. Almost a twelfth of my pension, just for a T-shirt! I don't think so. How can they justify that? They charge what the market will bear, I suppose. I paid 7.50 for a hot dog and a bottle of water. Excessive but not unexpected for somewhere with a captive audience. Next, and final, probably, grumble: I had gone early to do a recce of the joint (time spent on reconnaissance&nbsp; is never wasted). The plan was to buy some food at a roadside cafe before I went into the stadium proper. The plan was dashed as there were no roadside cafes, no roadside anything for that matter. Palau Sant Jordi was built for the 1992 Spanish Olympic games. It is the largest indoor stadium in Spain with&nbsp; seating capacity of 17,960. It is part of the Olympic complex, located on Montjuic hill in splendid isolation. 30 minutes walk from my hotel, and 45 minutes back, in the dark when you head off in the wrong direction looking for a bus stop. Plenty bus stops, very few buses. Having arrived there early I discovered the outer gates to the complex weren't going to be opened until 7.30. It completely slipped my mind that this was a Spanish 7.30 i.e nearly 7.50. Then, once we got into the grounds, we had to stand around, in lose formation, for almost another hour until they opened the doors to the building. Thank God I'm not currently disabled and Thank God it wasn't raining, as it had been earlier. This is another aspect of the evening I don't understand: if they had opened the doors earlier then the cash tills could have been ringing earlier. OK, last moan: the concert was due to start at 9.30. It was 9.55 before Queen deigned to make an appearance. How dare they, with the money we had paid for the seats. Surely he who pays the piper calls the tune. Or so it was once upon a time.&nbsp; Can I get on with my day now I've got all that off my chest?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><u>Monday's Queen</u></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">On this day, in 2013, my dear old Mum passed away. God bless her. Here is a picture of her on her wedding day (1945?) being given a traditional rolling pin by her Mum to keep Dad in order. Rest in Peace Mum (and Dad, and Nan).</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U_7ax19fuyk/Wx5GLIIaP-I/AAAAAAAAFUg/1Dvzx1vWjwANG7hvKBvBACKGmD5J335-QCLcBGAs/s1600/2017083001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1059" height="401" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U_7ax19fuyk/Wx5GLIIaP-I/AAAAAAAAFUg/1Dvzx1vWjwANG7hvKBvBACKGmD5J335-QCLcBGAs/s640/2017083001.jpg" width="640" /></a></u></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><u></u></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-40964669459652002222018-05-16T19:24:00.000+02:002018-05-16T19:24:47.675+02:00410: An Englishman abroad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I have to confess to being a bit of a stereotypical Englishman abroad - at least as far as food is concerned. Yesterday I had two language exchange lessons, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Being 'in the mood for food' after the first lesson and before the second I opted for a 'full English' in my favourite Indian restaurant here in Salou and a Burger King 'meal' for an early 'dinner'. It was an almost full English, there being a distinct lack of black pudding &amp; hash brown but it still hit the spot. It's not that I don't try local Spanish food, I had some 'Salpicon de Marisco' at the <a href="http://www.freesiagroup.com/about-us/" target="_blank">Freesia group</a> lunch last Thursday. And then I had the pleasure of a light bout of diarrhoea on Saturday. Did my British bacteria take exception to the Spanish food? I shall never know. All I know is I had my own personal Brexit on Saturday! </span></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col> <col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7nov1IVKjw8/WvxeVpdoK_I/AAAAAAAAFMY/jYPCozRTRJYCWDgK8I7vb48POaaQt8xgACLcBGAs/s1600/20180515_112436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7nov1IVKjw8/WvxeVpdoK_I/AAAAAAAAFMY/jYPCozRTRJYCWDgK8I7vb48POaaQt8xgACLcBGAs/s320/20180515_112436.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="western"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wWxL9v8h_xc/Wvxh7ZaV_aI/AAAAAAAAFMo/RdPut_Wd9S8850GaO3ewjm0tJ0GyCiLdQCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180510_133934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wWxL9v8h_xc/Wvxh7ZaV_aI/AAAAAAAAFMo/RdPut_Wd9S8850GaO3ewjm0tJ0GyCiLdQCEwYBhgL/s320/20180510_133934.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table>&nbsp; <br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col> <col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="70%"><div class="western" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Talking about toilet paper, which I suppose I was, albeit indirectly, I noticed recently that Salou local council has had to take appropriate steps to stop its toilet paper being misappropriated. How desperate must some people be to steal the bog roll? Of course, if you're really desperate you just unroll it all and leave the empty tube padlocked. I have no idea what nationality these potential miscreants are, in fact I think all nationalities have their share of poor people. How sad</span>. </div></td> <td width="30%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-akXQGXspQw4/Wvxkadm617I/AAAAAAAAFMw/YCN0cIN7QHMNr2QglySTZsQYdDM_dOYiACLcBGAs/s1600/20180512_150338.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-akXQGXspQw4/Wvxkadm617I/AAAAAAAAFMw/YCN0cIN7QHMNr2QglySTZsQYdDM_dOYiACLcBGAs/s320/20180512_150338.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ly7PONiKGUs?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-37891858229596738432018-05-04T21:11:00.001+02:002018-05-04T21:11:19.654+02:00409: Prim and proper<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><b>prim</b> and proper: <span class="Y0NH2b CLPzrc">(of a person) very correctly behaved and easily shocked by anything that is rude. Perhaps that was me once but that would have been a long time ago.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="Y0NH2b CLPzrc">What prompted me to write this particular heading? I was in Reus the other day and walked past the statue of General Prim. He was born in Reus in 1814 and shot by unknown assassin(s) in Madrid in 1870, aged 56. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-af2U_U6hNb8/WuyEnP-AgMI/AAAAAAAAFJA/cDMSixKy4OIqiF11zYCToZNNtIBHImQxQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180502_110409%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-af2U_U6hNb8/WuyEnP-AgMI/AAAAAAAAFJA/cDMSixKy4OIqiF11zYCToZNNtIBHImQxQCLcBGAs/s400/20180502_110409%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I liked not just the statue but the Spanish architecture in the background.</span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="Y0NH2b CLPzrc">Reus is full of narrow streets and I often get lost, Wednesday was no exception. In a way it was deliberate because that's the best way of finding new and interesting things. (Short of going into a tourist office and asking!). The tourist office is just next to another interesting statue in Reus "the statue of the giant Indian"</span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IpWEeG0x3WI/WuyI4-IxDeI/AAAAAAAAFJM/lACbEwDOoEgX2XuFkqMCbSIGfU55W3r3QCLcBGAs/s1600/20180502_105433%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IpWEeG0x3WI/WuyI4-IxDeI/AAAAAAAAFJM/lACbEwDOoEgX2XuFkqMCbSIGfU55W3r3QCLcBGAs/s400/20180502_105433%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="Y0NH2b CLPzrc">The architecture in the background is not quite so impressive.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="Y0NH2b CLPzrc">My last picture today was taken in another square in Reus. The yellow ribbons, in loops, and the new Catalonian flags with one star, show that Catalunya has certainly not abandoned its claim for independence from the rest of Spain. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6PbV8JSCiyQ/WuyK258WKGI/AAAAAAAAFJY/GzyTo9jU0AMSWBcONGwXJQdLBFpH2q7vACLcBGAs/s1600/20180502_111309%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6PbV8JSCiyQ/WuyK258WKGI/AAAAAAAAFJY/GzyTo9jU0AMSWBcONGwXJQdLBFpH2q7vACLcBGAs/s400/20180502_111309%255B1%255D.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="Y0NH2b CLPzrc"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="Y0NH2b CLPzrc">And finally, May the fourth be with you... Here is a trailer for the new Star Wars film: </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="Y0NH2b CLPzrc"></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dK3ypzMGoN4?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-57641827528643037102018-04-29T13:50:00.000+02:002018-04-29T13:50:15.479+02:00408: Learning to live with 'minor' upsets!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">After an enjoyable week in UK I flew from Stansted to Barcelona yesterday with Ryanair. My journey from Ramsey to the airport went swimmingly: there is a 7:12 bus which goes to Cambridge railway station and from there it is a 30 minute train ride to the airport. Got to the business lounge in good time to knock back a couple of G&amp;Ts before having to report to the departure gate and stand in line to be processed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">A pleasant enough flight as I had paid extra for an emergency exit seat so could stretch my long legs. But we were late taking off and late landing. My problems snowballed from there. They opened the front and rear doors and passengers began disembarking. Unfortunately there were only two buses to convey three bus-loads of people. Those of us who were sitting in the middle of the plane were held on the plane until a bus came back for us. That, of course, put us at the end of a very long queue to have passports checked and I think a couple of other flights had arrived just before us. I finally got through passport control and picked up my baggage. Walked over the bridge to the train station. I could see the train at the platform. I knew it would be a forlorn attempt to reach it in time but felt I should try anyway. If only the guy in front of me at the ticket office hadn't wanted to talk quite so much I might have managed but by the time I got my ticket and fed it into the machine at the barrier I heard the whistle and knew that I would have to watch the train pulling out.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">&nbsp;<img alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-164 size-full" height="272" src="https://barcelonaairporttravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/train-barcelona-airport.jpg" width="400" /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">30 minutes wait for the next train. What to do but go for a beer. The next train, unfortunately, pulled out on time but was late into Barcelona Sants, causing me to miss my connection. 90 minutes to wait for the next train to Salou. When I finally arrived at Salou it was after 9 p.m. and to cap it all there was a fine drizzle during the 10 minute walk home from the railway station.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">None of this really matters. Why? Let me put things into perspective. I heard yesterday that an army colleague, I had never met him but knew of him and he was a contemporary of mine, had keeled over and died suddenly of a massive heart attack. A fit guy, a sportsman all his life. RIP Paul Lenny Fairclough. Condolences to his family. It is such a tenuous thread holding us to this life that the thread can be severed at any time. (Especially when you get to my age!) What does it matter that I was 2 hours late getting home. At least I woke up this morning.&nbsp; Enjoy life, everybody. While you still can.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Really strange weather today. Thunder rolling around the sky. One minute bright sunshine and the next rain and then hailstones. We are having power cuts and if I were sensible I would turn off this laptop before it gets fried with a power surge.&nbsp; Hope it hasn't knocked out the router. Fingers crossed.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I was listening to Russian radio Retro FM this morning when what should I hear but the Goombay Dance band singing "Marrakesh". You can't get much more retro than that! The rain this afternoon reminded me that they also recorded "Rain, rain, rain". So here it is:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h0ljVgGOHq4?rel=0" width="560"></iframe> </div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-60105143385579049252018-04-22T18:04:00.000+02:002018-04-22T18:04:53.891+02:00407: Sensible drinking....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Almost every day, it seems, we are being exhorted to live more healthily. To that end I have joined a gym in Salou and try to go three times a week when I'm in the country. Living healthily also includes drinking sensibly and here is just such an example!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6smryGwLv3M/Wtyeedzlx6I/AAAAAAAAFFw/Mp7_6eVDOHgxZM_D1TcYfFxbqWFJ5DSjACLcBGAs/s1600/20180421_131229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6smryGwLv3M/Wtyeedzlx6I/AAAAAAAAFFw/Mp7_6eVDOHgxZM_D1TcYfFxbqWFJ5DSjACLcBGAs/s640/20180421_131229.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">This fishbowl sized gin and tonic is available in a variety of flavours at <a href="http://www.bronte.co.uk/" target="_blank">Bronte</a>, which can be found between Charing Cross and Trafalgar Square. I shared it with my sister. Don't ask about the price! As I said to Hazel at the time it is the kind of place where if you need to ask the price you shouldn't be there! We met yesterday for lunch and after a very nice curry wurst at <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d1955029-Reviews-Herman_ze_German-London_England.html" target="_blank">Herman ze German</a> on Villiers Street we went looking for a little something to drink before heading back to our respective corners of the South East of England.&nbsp; While I was waiting for Hazel to arrive I had a very quick whizz (American English = whiz) around the National Gallery, stopping longer at some of the religiously themed paintings than perhaps I might have done previously. Here are two that quite took my fancy.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span><span id="goog_1641754258"></span><span id="goog_1641754259"></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col> <col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5a7n2_sX-f0/Wtyjrd2stzI/AAAAAAAAFGE/QlDLS5M_2esX9CNTrcRHCal6B3I0hpkdACEwYBhgL/s1600/20180421_111047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5a7n2_sX-f0/Wtyjrd2stzI/AAAAAAAAFGE/QlDLS5M_2esX9CNTrcRHCal6B3I0hpkdACEwYBhgL/s320/20180421_111047.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dead Christ mourned - Annibale Carracci</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gJVZ9z9A4ww/WtykVhbzywI/AAAAAAAAFGM/Wd3sE79uvGcr6MWkr9yFz6C79NLepsdQACEwYBhgL/s1600/20180421_111831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gJVZ9z9A4ww/WtykVhbzywI/AAAAAAAAFGM/Wd3sE79uvGcr6MWkr9yFz6C79NLepsdQACEwYBhgL/s320/20180421_111831.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Adoration of the Shepherds - Guido Reni</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"></div></td> </tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/visiting/virtual-tours" target="_blank">Here</a> is a link to a virtual tour of the gallery. Enjoy.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I was in London for a reunion of my old Army mates on Friday evening. They hold the reunion every April and it was the first time for a number of years that I had managed to attend. I'd like to say that none of them are looking any older - but I can't. It's only me that hasn't aged at all. Good food, good company and good craic. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I stayed at a nice hotel opposite the Imperial War museum and it was a short bus ride from there to the Union Jack club, where the reunion was held. I had bought a bottle of gin in the airport at Barcelona in the morning and went twice to a local shop near the hotel to buy tonic. The first time, early afternoon, the nice man behind the counter charged me £1.10 for a small bottle of tonic. The second time, late evening, a different man (much nicer) charged me 99p for a bottle exactly the same. That's the trouble with shops that don't have the prices of things shown - there is a tendency for the person at the cash till to charge as much as he/she thinks they can get away with. A sad reflection of Society. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FrulgUPe6bY/WtyoSySDb1I/AAAAAAAAFGU/P9UoLaubJOc-kDYPX4ZhjiL2uf9-bdLbwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180421_101734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FrulgUPe6bY/WtyoSySDb1I/AAAAAAAAFGU/P9UoLaubJOc-kDYPX4ZhjiL2uf9-bdLbwCLcBGAs/s400/20180421_101734.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I recently had occasion to renew my Senior Railcard. There was a choice of buying a 1-year version or a 3-year version. I decided that, at my age, it might be safer to buy one year at a time. A bit like not buying green bananas! :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Today is the London marathon. By now most of them will have finished the course and many will be saying to themselves, as I once did, "never again". That feeling wears off within a few days and the diehards look forward to the next year.&nbsp; To finish, of course, the theme from Chariots of Fire. </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8a-HfNE3EIo?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-89610898907174629202018-04-05T16:49:00.002+02:002018-04-05T16:51:35.574+02:00406: Port out and starboard home<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Stayed in London on Monday to celebrate my birthday. As a special treat I stayed in the RAF Club on Piccadilly. It's a bit 'posh' (elegant or stylishly luxurious.) Folk etymology suggests that 'posh' is formed from the <span class="st" data-hveid="144" data-ved="0ahUKEwjd1OWMpaPaAhXL7BQKHcQkCxAQ4EUIkAEwAw">initials of <i>port out starboard home</i> (referring to the more comfortable accommodation, out of the heat of the sun, on ships between England and India). That meaning appears to be apocryphal but it does remind me of a story in the book I am currently reading - Jeremy Paxman's Empire. I hope he won't mind me copying a paragraph here: "... the arrival of what later became known as the fishing fleet - young women from the home country out to net themselves a husband from the single men serving in India. 'In the hot weather you took out what was known as the 'B' class girl, usually Anglo-Indians, who were dears in every way and the greatest fun. But the moment the cold weather started they were taboo, because all the young girls from Roedean, Cheltenham and the great schools of Britain came out in the P&amp;O liners'. The women who failed to find anyone suitable went back to England, nicknamed "returned empties" !" I know my dear old grandmother (mum's mum) was in India with her husband, my grandad, and thankfully didn't have to suffer the ignominy of being classed as a "returned empty". Here is the ship she returned from India on, with two of her children.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-shmG3_uGbbc/WsYwtLOF94I/AAAAAAAAE_c/A2_xY1-aACYMe4zhcioku-1qxARBN0Q8gCLcBGAs/s1600/Ship%2Bfrom%2BIndia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="94" data-original-width="173" height="173" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-shmG3_uGbbc/WsYwtLOF94I/AAAAAAAAE_c/A2_xY1-aACYMe4zhcioku-1qxARBN0Q8gCLcBGAs/s320/Ship%2Bfrom%2BIndia.jpg" width="320" />&nbsp;</a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I digress. A few pictures from my day in London.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FbHQEtNo9DY/WsYxp7E9feI/AAAAAAAAE_k/N0eJj13WlZAkGUwvH6oPM8V62FrVTu-yQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180402_174131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FbHQEtNo9DY/WsYxp7E9feI/AAAAAAAAE_k/N0eJj13WlZAkGUwvH6oPM8V62FrVTu-yQCLcBGAs/s320/20180402_174131.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Buckingham Palace.<br /> The flag was flying, albeit limply, so Her Majesty was in residence.</span> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> <td width="50%"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6YrLcOPgcnI/WsYylzVV8JI/AAAAAAAAE_w/48vMNr9_iiUApTvo9I5w0RxmLSMYYGV1ACLcBGAs/s1600/20180402_175223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6YrLcOPgcnI/WsYylzVV8JI/AAAAAAAAE_w/48vMNr9_iiUApTvo9I5w0RxmLSMYYGV1ACLcBGAs/s320/20180402_175223.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The doorman at the Athenaeum, looking resplendent in top hat and tails.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KxaUeTwYt3A/WsYzyleTx4I/AAAAAAAAFAA/RXqEhUKklfYL_5L1u-DXGEKX-Z3t72c1gCLcBGAs/s1600/20180402_174949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KxaUeTwYt3A/WsYzyleTx4I/AAAAAAAAFAA/RXqEhUKklfYL_5L1u-DXGEKX-Z3t72c1gCLcBGAs/s320/20180402_174949.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">London, all tastes catered for....</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qws59m0KMnU/WsYyRyybyiI/AAAAAAAAE_0/y3mJa3nnsIgXjxUG-IDeflQqf_pSojVsgCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180402_160855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qws59m0KMnU/WsYyRyybyiI/AAAAAAAAE_0/y3mJa3nnsIgXjxUG-IDeflQqf_pSojVsgCEwYBhgL/s320/20180402_160855.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr><tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Parked overnight in the Hyde Park/Mayfair underground car park. £49.99! Even with a 25% discount it still made my eyes water! Remind me not to take the car next time!</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Enjoy the video "London Girls", Chas and Dave - 1983.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="st" data-hveid="144" data-ved="0ahUKEwjd1OWMpaPaAhXL7BQKHcQkCxAQ4EUIkAEwAw"></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9aIMGVXzNbY?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-27327204285357374032018-03-15T17:58:00.001+01:002018-03-15T17:58:37.870+01:00405: A cock and bull story!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5m-5ZdC7e6k/WqqZ7wVdpcI/AAAAAAAAE58/nsVDOBFhYx43QchE4gIyQ9p0jhBaWgYeACLcBGAs/s1600/20180314_141547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5m-5ZdC7e6k/WqqZ7wVdpcI/AAAAAAAAE58/nsVDOBFhYx43QchE4gIyQ9p0jhBaWgYeACLcBGAs/s320/20180314_141547.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xdaKbNPjJ5M/WqqaZUWN0hI/AAAAAAAAE6A/tukfxFzUMR8tOibo05JUXA-z_I9ra58igCLcBGAs/s1600/20180313_175232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xdaKbNPjJ5M/WqqaZUWN0hI/AAAAAAAAE6A/tukfxFzUMR8tOibo05JUXA-z_I9ra58igCLcBGAs/s320/20180313_175232.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> </tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">One of the reasons for writing blogs is to help my former students expand their knowledge of the English language. A cock and bull story, according to the Oxford English dictionary, is an <span class="ind">implausible story used as an explanation or excuse. Maybe when you're trying to explain to the boss why you're late for work. The rest of the blog, although it may seem implausible, is a true record of my recent, very short, trip to Valencia. Coincidentally, I arrived there at 16:10 on Tuesday and left at 16:10 on Wednesday. On reflection, it was not long enough. I should spend more time there next time. I haven't been to a bull fight in Spain, and have no plans to do so, but the 'sport' (if you can call it that) is certainly part of the Spanish culture.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="ind">I bought a 24-hour transport card and spent Tuesday evening wandering about, exploring the town. Valencia is in extended carnival mode, but more of that later.</span></span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%px;"><tbody><tr valign="TOP"><td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rU4NckR8vJs/WqqdSz6KRvI/AAAAAAAAE6Q/1nS-anD7hUgtnWy1OlfaOrfq6N9-ta-6QCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180313_182300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rU4NckR8vJs/WqqdSz6KRvI/AAAAAAAAE6Q/1nS-anD7hUgtnWy1OlfaOrfq6N9-ta-6QCEwYBhgL/s200/20180313_182300.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DFQAlgq3ltY/WqqeQ89FuKI/AAAAAAAAE6U/78F9r1rGksArwq8kPcQeA_vth7fS1jffgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180313_183413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DFQAlgq3ltY/WqqeQ89FuKI/AAAAAAAAE6U/78F9r1rGksArwq8kPcQeA_vth7fS1jffgCLcBGAs/s200/20180313_183413.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mZ5MbAiX97Y/WqqfQrtRFEI/AAAAAAAAE6c/9komS2QQbI8QOVK3yWK9yTN9UF6p_6GIQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180313_193430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mZ5MbAiX97Y/WqqfQrtRFEI/AAAAAAAAE6c/9komS2QQbI8QOVK3yWK9yTN9UF6p_6GIQCLcBGAs/s200/20180313_193430.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> </tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="ind">&nbsp;On Wednesday I decided to visit <a href="http://www.valencia-cityguide.com/tourist-attractions/museums/l-oceanografic.html" target="_blank">Oceanografic</a> - a large area containing diverse marine environments and housing fish and marine life from different corners of the planet.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qq6QvmaAlAw/WqqC_mGH98I/AAAAAAAAE5c/BRJOSOi_oa45GfOiUTeyDEEHzHncUk_8wCLcBGAs/s1600/oceanografic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="720" height="368" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qq6QvmaAlAw/WqqC_mGH98I/AAAAAAAAE5c/BRJOSOi_oa45GfOiUTeyDEEHzHncUk_8wCLcBGAs/s640/oceanografic.png" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="ind"></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hWgz4a2aqTg/WqqgLfcbTtI/AAAAAAAAE6o/J-xuPXZ6R0wGyhcqEqK7riJpIrgqpAd0wCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180314_103343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hWgz4a2aqTg/WqqgLfcbTtI/AAAAAAAAE6o/J-xuPXZ6R0wGyhcqEqK7riJpIrgqpAd0wCEwYBhgL/s200/20180314_103343.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ez4t_vGMLzg/Wqqg0q67YqI/AAAAAAAAE6w/NPYgSW4Q3m8K6UJMEbLmDsSHzSgI1ei0gCLcBGAs/s1600/20180314_100451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ez4t_vGMLzg/Wqqg0q67YqI/AAAAAAAAE6w/NPYgSW4Q3m8K6UJMEbLmDsSHzSgI1ei0gCLcBGAs/s200/20180314_100451.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y1w5o2ao8Gk/WqqhS6p5ghI/AAAAAAAAE64/NKPB0yWh1aEOqP4ZHjGiniChIq2-wfO5ACLcBGAs/s1600/20180314_103448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y1w5o2ao8Gk/WqqhS6p5ghI/AAAAAAAAE64/NKPB0yWh1aEOqP4ZHjGiniChIq2-wfO5ACLcBGAs/s200/20180314_103448.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> </tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="ind">&nbsp;I spent quite some time enjoying looking at the different aquaria and then sat down to watch the dolphins performing for fish. It was a good show. Trainers and dolphins worked well together. Part of me objects to the fact that we are, perhaps, exploiting the animals for our own gratification, but I watched it anyway.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /><span class="ind"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ycH2GPsDKwY/WqqiNC6GYcI/AAAAAAAAE7E/ksAh4cJcPMY9AWs6WIpMvkuvnImrqupJwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180314_115113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ycH2GPsDKwY/WqqiNC6GYcI/AAAAAAAAE7E/ksAh4cJcPMY9AWs6WIpMvkuvnImrqupJwCLcBGAs/s200/20180314_115113.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-05jZaxrL4UU/WqqiqI6ZdwI/AAAAAAAAE7I/Rd8X_UguVSwoRkBJ5JFwIsRLTXqlt11_ACLcBGAs/s1600/20180314_121105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-05jZaxrL4UU/WqqiqI6ZdwI/AAAAAAAAE7I/Rd8X_UguVSwoRkBJ5JFwIsRLTXqlt11_ACLcBGAs/s200/20180314_121105.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pzJCE5NHkIA/WqqjM-nO-mI/AAAAAAAAE7Q/X6ERoTbqSVcphX0oybrwUONz3Wn5G9c5ACLcBGAs/s1600/20180314_121107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pzJCE5NHkIA/WqqjM-nO-mI/AAAAAAAAE7Q/X6ERoTbqSVcphX0oybrwUONz3Wn5G9c5ACLcBGAs/s200/20180314_121107.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> </tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="ind">And then back to the station with a few hours in hand before my train back to Salou. I'm pleased I had been forewarned that at 2 p.m., every day for quite a few days, there would be a series of enormous bangs. They lasted for a good 5-10 minutes and the whole street was covered in dense smoke. Who pays for all the fireworks I wondered, but there was loud applause from the large crowds when it finished. Perhaps there are more tourist bucks coming in than pyrotechnic bucks going out?&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="ind"></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="85*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tkTimY-yw8w/WqqkKGDYvLI/AAAAAAAAE7c/Wu_zp4hcsZM7NHEvthI_Gj5ud9QKSb0PQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180314_135915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tkTimY-yw8w/WqqkKGDYvLI/AAAAAAAAE7c/Wu_zp4hcsZM7NHEvthI_Gj5ud9QKSb0PQCLcBGAs/s200/20180314_135915.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--HiVN8jUCrE/WqqkqNQTS-I/AAAAAAAAE7g/eFQrtjWR4CQ6YJ-rzojinL1bu9K_xcwHwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180314_140639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--HiVN8jUCrE/WqqkqNQTS-I/AAAAAAAAE7g/eFQrtjWR4CQ6YJ-rzojinL1bu9K_xcwHwCLcBGAs/s200/20180314_140639.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> <td width="33%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-INxDTzdEPrA/WqqlNdoUwtI/AAAAAAAAE7o/G2FgFwMpi5AR6038EYgb2SB8BfeYoP4IQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180314_140744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-INxDTzdEPrA/WqqlNdoUwtI/AAAAAAAAE7o/G2FgFwMpi5AR6038EYgb2SB8BfeYoP4IQCLcBGAs/s200/20180314_140744.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> </tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span class="ind">Here is a link to explain all about the <a href="http://www.valencia-cityguide.com/tourist-information/leisure/festivals/the-fallas.html" target="_blank">Valencia Fallas</a> and a short video</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0x3aNEOgIo4?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></span></div></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-76554217026219065652018-03-15T14:51:00.000+01:002018-03-15T14:51:10.260+01:00404: Page not found<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">The plan is that after I have written my 500th blog I will publish the whole lot as a coffee table book for my great-great grandchildren to read in case they ever feel the need to ask questions about their ancestors. I know I'll have to pay for self-publishing as I do appreciate I don't have the literary flair and style to attract publishers to pay me.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I know I always regret not asking my grandparents more about what they got up to in their lives. This particular blog, short and sweet, is an irreverent poke at the most famous Windows error code of all - 404 - Page not found. "What was Windows", the great-great grandchildren will be asking.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">How everything will have moved on by&nbsp; then. How things have changed since my grandparent's day. (Yes, these are my grandparents, from a long long time ago).</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OG2LZgglKkM/Wqp3lARBc2I/AAAAAAAAE5A/wG1KXjibYFct3qhpuSqkWbeZNupOKnLuwCLcBGAs/s1600/Nana%2B%2526%2BGrandad%2B-%2BSheerness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OG2LZgglKkM/Wqp3lARBc2I/AAAAAAAAE5A/wG1KXjibYFct3qhpuSqkWbeZNupOKnLuwCLcBGAs/s320/Nana%2B%2526%2BGrandad%2B-%2BSheerness.jpg" width="180" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Enjoy this Renny Gleeson short TED Talk about page 404. I know I did.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eHrcRqu_Es4?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-82642076304908942682018-03-06T14:32:00.000+01:002018-03-06T14:32:46.705+01:00403: A technical blog - especially for Olive<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">If you're not geeky, or you're not my cousin-in-law Olive, then please read no further. I want to regale you with my Internet problems and how I overcame them.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">When I came Salou, almost a year ago, I compared the prices that various ISPs (Internet Service Providers) wanted and saw that they were much more expensive than in UK - especially when you factor in the cost of a landline. I didn't really want or need a landline so investigated alternative ways of getting internet access here in my flat.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I hit on the idea of a mobile router, which works using a SIM card. I bought a Huawei LTE CPE model E5186s-22a. I put in a Spanish SIM and found it worked perfectly well, but. Isn't there always a but? The but, in this case, was that there was a maximum entitlement of 26 GB per month. If I went over, as I did most months,&nbsp; then they billed me even more than what I had signed up for. I soon found that this wasn't enough for my needs - the odd Skype lesson and streaming the 'occasional' UK TV programme soon ate up the gigabytes.(N.B. In UK English programme is used for TV programmes and program for software.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><img alt="Image result for huawei lte cpe e5186s-22a" class="irc_mi" height="353" src="https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1eQEeKVXXXXaIXVXXq6xXFXXXU/Huawei-E5186s-22a-LTE-FDD-800-900-1800-2100-2600Mhz-TDD2600Mhz-Cat6-300Mbps-Mobile-Wireless-Router.jpg_640x640.jpg" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="471" />&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">So, bite the bullet and pay for internet through a landline. 48 Euros per month (roughly £42). There are comparison sites here and you can get cheaper rates ordering on-line rather than visiting a shop but whenever you click on an offer you are asked to telephone somebody. I don't like using the telephone at the best of times but to try and communicate in Spanish when I only have 400-500 words of general Spanish and almost no technical Spanish would have been an absolute nightmare. When I went to a local Orange shop they eventually told me that Movistar had the monopoly on certain numbers, including mine, in the block of flats where I live. That may, or may not, be true but Orange said they weren't in a position to help. So, trog off to the local Movistar shop where I signed a contract for them to provide landline and internet (+ 2 SIM cards).</span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">The technician arrived within a few days and told me, I think, that I had to have their router near to the telephone point. This is nowhere near where the TV and desktop are currently located. Desktop, and notebook and mobile now all worked wirelessly and give me continuous access to the internet without worrying about running over a monthly entitlement, but (and there's that but again) streaming TV from UK paused to reload more often than I liked.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I knew that internet over ethernet would be faster than internet over wi-fi so I have just been out and bought a 7.5 metre telephone extension cable. The router is now on the shelf above the TV and is connected by internet cable to my desktop PC. Download speed is almost 4 times faster. The smart TV in the bedroom also lets me wirelessly listen to music and watch the best that You Tube has to offer. (I had been worried that if I moved the router the bedroom TV would then be out of range but everything is fine).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">All's well that ends well. Now I just have to advertise the old mobile router on eBay and move on to the next (technical) problem. And secure the cable around the wall with those little things whose name I have temporarily forgotten.</span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">And finally, for anybody who wants to become a geek...... </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7_LPdttKXPc?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-58847003803328851762018-03-01T14:22:00.001+01:002018-03-01T14:24:17.087+01:00402: Having my cake and eating it too!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">The blog title fairly accurately reflects my lifestyle, although today I'm able to use it literally! Do please note that the people of Ramsey are very sophisticated - you get a knife and fork to eat your cake.</span>&nbsp; </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vkGhrNqfn3Y/WpfzR--Uw4I/AAAAAAAAEzE/3PW7ddHzvb02zewuaf0R56lNLZ91XaEtQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180301_111810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vkGhrNqfn3Y/WpfzR--Uw4I/AAAAAAAAEzE/3PW7ddHzvb02zewuaf0R56lNLZ91XaEtQCLcBGAs/s640/20180301_111810.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I'm duty cook today so set off for Tesco to buy the ingredients. The raspberry turnovers jumped into my basket as I passed them. Our local Tesco is the other side of town so a brisk walk there and back helps me to reach my daily step goal. Unfortunately, after exercise I often feel that I've earned a little reward - hence the finger doughnut and coffee in the Windmill Bakery on the way home. Walking back across the sports field I noticed that there was nobody in the pensioners' playground. Hardly surprising really!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z3F1BRsdn4Q/Wpf1YJb3IXI/AAAAAAAAEzc/ln7W-05IzjIkxhY5MPD2C5Gx_1fGtGzZwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180301_115222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z3F1BRsdn4Q/Wpf1YJb3IXI/AAAAAAAAEzc/ln7W-05IzjIkxhY5MPD2C5Gx_1fGtGzZwCLcBGAs/s640/20180301_115222.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">The idea of sports equipment for the elderly is admirable. If it helps older folk keep fit then it keeps them out of hospital and/or the doctor's surgery, thereby saving the NHS money. Unfortunately I don't think the uptake has been very high.</span>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Short and sweet today - not like the doughnut, which was long and sweet. Here in UK t</span><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">wo snowflakes and the country grinds to a halt. </span>For a video I thought I would give you a link showing how those in the Moscow suburbs cope with the snow. Look at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/100014371936504/videos/329196227569439/" target="_blank">link</a> to see 'real' snow.</span></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-17803645438923575182018-02-28T16:48:00.000+01:002018-02-28T16:49:29.104+01:00401: When in Ramsey...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">There has been white stuff falling from the sky. I know what it is, having lived in Moscow for 2+6 years, but around these parts it's rarer than rocking-horse s**t. I went gleefully to the loft to search for the cross-country skis that I bought in Moscow from the sports beryozka some 40 years ago. Who remembers beryozki (берёзки)? Special shops scattered around Moscow exclusively for foreigners (and their hard currency). I found the skis and poles and boots underneath a pile of other stuff - the loft is full of things we haven't seen for 25 years. But then - deep disappointment. The boots had been in the loft so long that the rubber has perished so they no longer clip into the studs on the skis. It is not possible to use those ancient skis without clipping ancient boots into them. I was so looking forward to a quick langlauf session&nbsp; around my estate. Reluctantly I had to abandon the idea and settle for a walk instead.</span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col> <col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T-nhuF9n5Y0/WpbLSQoV4VI/AAAAAAAAEyE/PAEqoVnnx4QIlCz4OdcpzOJ32AdUTwxuwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180228_140708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T-nhuF9n5Y0/WpbLSQoV4VI/AAAAAAAAEyE/PAEqoVnnx4QIlCz4OdcpzOJ32AdUTwxuwCLcBGAs/s640/20180228_140708.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Donated my 62nd pint of blood in Cambridge on Monday. With 8 pints circulating in the human body, I've almost rejuvenated myself 8 times.</span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">For a video clip I've chosen, for my younger readers, Frosty the Snowman.</span> </div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span></td><td width="50%"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u0QqQNIpeiw?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-33116519434280342512018-02-22T18:40:00.001+01:002018-02-22T18:40:05.007+01:00400: When in Rome .. (Part II). I came, I saw, I went home again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The whole world runs on scams. In London, and Moscow, and many other cities, there is a choice of fast train or slow train to get you from the airport to the city centre. In Rome it costs 14 Euros for the Leonardo express or 8 Euros for the slower train, which also involves a change. I went into the train terminal at the airport and the man behind the counter, who probably works for the railways, immediately showed me a glossy flyer that offered airport to hotel minibus shuttle for only 15 Euros. I was tempted to say no to the scam and to buy a train ticket but that would have been cutting off the nose to spite the face. Half a dozen other people also accepted the offer and we were transported into town, at great speed, in a luxury minibus.The (fast) train would have been quicker because the minibus took everybody else to their hotel first but I did get to see some of the sights of Rome - and there are many. Having checked into the hotel I had a look on the map for the nearest sight worth seeing. Turned out to be the Trevi fountain. It was about 20-30 minute walk from the hotel and even at 7 p.m. was packed with tourists.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rJnoAlzhcfQ/Wo7qJANjPiI/AAAAAAAAEuw/G0RKZ7EGtIcphxI44N5-NoeP-PinQM7jACLcBGAs/s1600/20180216_185235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rJnoAlzhcfQ/Wo7qJANjPiI/AAAAAAAAEuw/G0RKZ7EGtIcphxI44N5-NoeP-PinQM7jACLcBGAs/s320/20180216_185235.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AKyi-BC1Jm4/Wo7rByLsPPI/AAAAAAAAEu4/iy8yYSrvzFoJ0x50pBATgGgZFEYi61aQgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180216_185243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AKyi-BC1Jm4/Wo7rByLsPPI/AAAAAAAAEu4/iy8yYSrvzFoJ0x50pBATgGgZFEYi61aQgCLcBGAs/s320/20180216_185243.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I grabbed some dinner on the way back to the hotel. "Happy hours" seem to be popular here where you can eat as much as you want but there's only one drink included. 10 Euros. They would have lost out on the deal if I was still a young man. In those days I earned the sobriquet 'Dustbin Des' but I tend not to eat quite as much now. Also on the way back I passed this building and I wanted to take a picture so I could make a comment about passing the red light district. Unfortunately my phone showed only orange. Use your imagination - all the windows were showing red. I'm sure there is a Reeperbahn equivalent in Rome but it wasn't on my list of places to visit.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TcS-UKkFQ8U/Wo7tnwgimCI/AAAAAAAAEvE/aFCUm0QRrkMRBN7UawLztLLTkuf91ugwgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180216_185945.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TcS-UKkFQ8U/Wo7tnwgimCI/AAAAAAAAEvE/aFCUm0QRrkMRBN7UawLztLLTkuf91ugwgCLcBGAs/s400/20180216_185945.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The next day, after breakfast, I set off for the Vatican. Another country I can tick off the list. I enjoyed a wander, and a wonder, around St Peter's Square. I'm too tight to pay to go into any of the wonderful places around the square and also far too impatient to stand in queues but there are plenty of sites on the internet to allow good close-ups. Click <a href="http://vatican.com/tour/sistine_chapel_3D/web" target="_blank">here </a>for a virtual guided tour of the Sistine chapel.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1ojivw-QwmI/Wo73vChcByI/AAAAAAAAEvU/RTDuqhUv_4UOOL0qG_n88P_587SEPhbNgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180217_105826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1ojivw-QwmI/Wo73vChcByI/AAAAAAAAEvU/RTDuqhUv_4UOOL0qG_n88P_587SEPhbNgCLcBGAs/s320/20180217_105826.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RqrTeRPcjJw/Wo74I9uvFcI/AAAAAAAAEvY/Y0Ct4K-919gIpfk6Cq9YhYuspEN2dG_FwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180217_105831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RqrTeRPcjJw/Wo74I9uvFcI/AAAAAAAAEvY/Y0Ct4K-919gIpfk6Cq9YhYuspEN2dG_FwCLcBGAs/s320/20180217_105831.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="western"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Bsg0RTUUTQ/Wo74qyasQ7I/AAAAAAAAEvo/gENbIPxoSdYa12w3GtPZLtuuxYQX0AHwgCEwYBhgL/s1600/20180217_110158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7Bsg0RTUUTQ/Wo74qyasQ7I/AAAAAAAAEvo/gENbIPxoSdYa12w3GtPZLtuuxYQX0AHwgCEwYBhgL/s320/20180217_110158.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="western"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6frjM9IwHiQ/Wo75sgIcMmI/AAAAAAAAEvs/ALcnFzF3qrsAOQ5kPAp5ZvQ71RPO2IO3wCLcBGAs/s1600/20180217_110802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6frjM9IwHiQ/Wo75sgIcMmI/AAAAAAAAEvs/ALcnFzF3qrsAOQ5kPAp5ZvQ71RPO2IO3wCLcBGAs/s320/20180217_110802.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From the Vatican it is but a short bus ride to the Forum and the Coliseum.I forgot to mention yesterday that when I was paying the rather extortionate tourist tax, the hotel receptionist jokingly suggested they needed it because they were building a new coliseum.</span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tzu8JUokPyM/Wo77cWBwlAI/AAAAAAAAEv4/6RbPatLL6PQaF31FS1mRuCF5BGFS19JfACLcBGAs/s1600/20180217_125531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tzu8JUokPyM/Wo77cWBwlAI/AAAAAAAAEv4/6RbPatLL6PQaF31FS1mRuCF5BGFS19JfACLcBGAs/s320/20180217_125531.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nBPBR_BlGDU/Wo78EBuFYbI/AAAAAAAAEwA/fUMS4kniILsvuRRtqPTqCfynxv9UVSkxQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180217_130801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nBPBR_BlGDU/Wo78EBuFYbI/AAAAAAAAEwA/fUMS4kniILsvuRRtqPTqCfynxv9UVSkxQCLcBGAs/s320/20180217_130801.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">&nbsp;Having traipsed around Rome all day Saturday I wanted something different for Sunday so took a bus to the beautiful medieval city of Siena. Rather than inundate you with photos I thought I would just give a link to the <a href="https://www.google.es/search?q=siena&amp;client=firefox-b&amp;dcr=0&amp;source=lnms&amp;tbm=isch&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjQkP_6hLrZAhVQsBQKHdHnBH4Q_AUICigB&amp;biw=1280&amp;bih=584" target="_blank">google images page</a>. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I flew back to Barcelona on Tuesday and had to quickly unscrew my (empty) '<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="it" tabindex="-1"><span class="">Buongiorno</span></span>' head and screw on my (not quite so empty) 'buenos dias' head. Why didn't we all end up speaking Esperanto. At least I didn't have to faff about exchanging Liras for Pesetas.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will finish with a video clip of Matt Munro singing "three coins in the fountain".</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7_rAi7oiEJI?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></span></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-76044483818395970222018-02-21T15:38:00.000+01:002018-02-21T15:38:32.121+01:00399: When in Rome .... (part I)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I flew from Barcelona to Rome last Friday and back to Barcelona yesterday. I stayed in <a href="http://www.hotelturner.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Turner</a> on Via Nomentana - a five minute bus ride from the centre of the 'Eternal city'. It was OK. Once upon a time I'm sure it was very chic and elegant but I think its glory days are in the past - a bit like me really! They pretend that the revolving door doesn't work and funnel guests through a less imposing door into the reception area. My room was in an annex which was reached via 2 lifts! The first lift took me to floor 'A' and then a short walk along a corridor to the second lift which carried me up to the third floor. A bit of a shock on checking out to be presented with a bill for the city's tourist tax: 42 Euros for 4 nights. Luckily I hadn't spent quite all my money.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">A couple of pictures from the hotel to try and portray some of the (former) grandeur. And then a picture of a mini which I saw in a car showroom whilst on my way to the Trevi fountain. It reminded me instantly of the 1969 film "The Italian Job" starring Michael Caine. My video clip today has to be "You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off".&nbsp; Part II (note the Latin numbers!) tomorrow if you're (un)lucky.</span></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col> <col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kn3bwZTGFFw/Wo2A7H2QNbI/AAAAAAAAEtc/3g2bsrXGNf4A3KG1xkcSIvpNeUtge3iMACLcBGAs/s1600/Revolving%2Bdoor.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kn3bwZTGFFw/Wo2A7H2QNbI/AAAAAAAAEtc/3g2bsrXGNf4A3KG1xkcSIvpNeUtge3iMACLcBGAs/s320/Revolving%2Bdoor.png" width="213" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RHsGNJLaMk0/Wo2BSSMawlI/AAAAAAAAEtg/SjpS7srvgycycTbRBs5_4d7sbHNJgvDJQCLcBGAs/s1600/20180216_171905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RHsGNJLaMk0/Wo2BSSMawlI/AAAAAAAAEtg/SjpS7srvgycycTbRBs5_4d7sbHNJgvDJQCLcBGAs/s320/20180216_171905.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">A fresco on the ceiling above reception</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aFzeRSSdues/Wo2B43Z-S6I/AAAAAAAAEto/2bDYxqosc8klHzLBG4cCm5rgfPlQfiglwCLcBGAs/s1600/20180219_160340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aFzeRSSdues/Wo2B43Z-S6I/AAAAAAAAEto/2bDYxqosc8klHzLBG4cCm5rgfPlQfiglwCLcBGAs/s320/20180219_160340.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">three wise cherubs?&nbsp;</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><br /></div></td> <td width="50%"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g7PGG8ssztM/Wo2CRVD1jLI/AAAAAAAAEts/-ex7dkTJQJwMFmX4VyRIa0PtevQc4oeHACLcBGAs/s1600/20180219_202203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g7PGG8ssztM/Wo2CRVD1jLI/AAAAAAAAEts/-ex7dkTJQJwMFmX4VyRIa0PtevQc4oeHACLcBGAs/s320/20180219_202203.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">'A' for Annex I suppose</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western"><br /></div></td> </tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTYX4l3Hzlk/Wo2DtzG7fkI/AAAAAAAAEt8/A90DBQUtEp8inKyukjv3KT1cXU0PIlQjgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180216_183517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTYX4l3Hzlk/Wo2DtzG7fkI/AAAAAAAAEt8/A90DBQUtEp8inKyukjv3KT1cXU0PIlQjgCLcBGAs/s400/20180216_183517.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7_PX1cVuaVA?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-63744934219185274882018-02-06T15:58:00.001+01:002018-02-06T15:58:50.354+01:00398: The trials and tribulations (of living in a foreign land)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Living in a foreign land can pose enormous challenges, not all of which are immediately apparent. As I try to get a little more comfortable in my little flat then 'tiny' problems crop up which require resolution. One of my bosses, many years ago, said that there are no problems in life, only solutions that haven't been found yet. Well, today I've been looking for four, as yet undiscovered, solutions. 1) I wanted to join the library - they have a good selection of foreign language (including English) books and until I get up to speed on learning Spanish then books in English will do very nicely. 2) Computer and internet problems - never an easy problem to resolve, even for an I.T. literate geek (retired) like me. 3) shelving &amp; cupboards - shall I do it myself? or pay somebody who knows what they're doing?&nbsp; 4) Residence status - need to get it sorted before Brexit comes into play in case they decide to kick out British non-residents</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's how the day went:</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>1.&nbsp; The library</u></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I went prepared, not quite fully prepared as it turned out, but well enough. I took my passport, my N.I.E (a bit like a Spanish National Insurance Number), and an electricity bill as proof of address. Then the nice librarian asked for a photograph, which took me by surprise. Thank goodness I had the foresight to suggest she photocopied the photo on my Russian visa. That was acceptable, for the nugatory cost of 10 cents. She helped me with the paperwork and, hey presto, I became the newest member of Salou's public library. Except they couldn't give me a membership card because their machine wasn't working.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>2a.&nbsp; Computer </u></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I took my desktop PC in for repair a few weeks ago and for the not so nugatory charge of 72 Euros they fixed it for me. Or, as I've since discovered, partially fixed it for me. I can't open the windows store. I went back today to point this out to the man and he said it's probably because it's an unlicensed version of Windows 8.1. and there's nothing he can do about it. This is news to me. It was licensed when I bought it, of course<u>&nbsp;</u> and I assume it was still licensed when it came out of the Polish repair shop in Warsaw. Now it's going to take time and effort to find a workaround.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>2b.&nbsp; The internet</u></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The most frustrating problem of them all. I'm currently accessing the internet through a SIM card in my mobile wireless router. I thought this would save the cost of renting a landline. I pay 26 Euros for 26 GB. I've had it for a few months now and come to the conclusion that 26GB per month isn't enough. Giving English lessons over Skype soon knocks that into a cocked hat. I will have to bite the bullet and pay extra for a landline and ADSL/Fibre. I found a nice comparison site with different prices for the different providers in Spain. I would love to write and email and ask for what I want. Is there an email address for any of them? Nary a one. They all want you to phone. The last thing I want is a Spaniard talking to me over the phone - I have enough trouble understanding them face-to-face. It is really puzzling and frustrating. There are many thousands of Brits living here. Don't they want our custom? (and our money). I know that living in Spain I should speak Spanish. I'm getting there - slowly but I'm still only at a very basic level - if I want two beers I have to ask for one twice.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>3 &amp; 4.</u></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another time - I wouldn't want to be accused of boring anybody.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I think part of my frustration with life today is that it's been raining almost non-stop for the last 2 days. The rain in Spain falls mainly in the drain, or it would if the drains weren't bunged up with the thousands of tons of confetti thrown during the carnival two days ago.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two pictures today - the first shows a 'sludge gulper' which we happened across on the drive from Scotland down to England last week. Take a look at the site address on the door of the vehicle! The second</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> shows the water running down the street - I never thought to bring wellies! N.B. Excuse the unusual angle - I am actually sober.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col> <col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PFyysr_Y-C4/WnnAsgyMocI/AAAAAAAAEZw/GN610OwSSVU2WJjk_A0k0GuGol70FqoPgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180130_132826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PFyysr_Y-C4/WnnAsgyMocI/AAAAAAAAEZw/GN610OwSSVU2WJjk_A0k0GuGol70FqoPgCLcBGAs/s400/20180130_132826.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /> </div></td> <td width="50%"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tScui4mVQpo/WnnA9ztOu8I/AAAAAAAAEZ0/7XV5bbcZoJAbAcIacxMqwYOCslZbQEPKgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180206_120407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tScui4mVQpo/WnnA9ztOu8I/AAAAAAAAEZ0/7XV5bbcZoJAbAcIacxMqwYOCslZbQEPKgCLcBGAs/s320/20180206_120407.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="western"><br /> </div></td> </tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For a video clip I've decided to show the Goombay Dance Band (I remember them) with their 1981 hit "Rain, Rain, Rain". </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h0ljVgGOHq4?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></span></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-710846333764458277.post-33386283129783448732018-01-23T15:18:00.004+01:002018-01-23T15:18:42.780+01:00397: Krasnodar - a quick in and out<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">After my few days in Istanbul I flew from there to Krasnodar in Southern Russia. Neither Turkey nor Russia concern themselves overmuch with night flights bothering the populace so my flights in and out of Russia were in the middle of the night. I sneaked up on them as it were. Except that you can't sneak up on Russia as you have to apply for a visa beforehand and give them most of your life history. So as soon as you land they know all about you........</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I went to Krasnodar to visit an old friend of mine, an English guy who had been teaching English out there. He's really quite ill so I thought a morale-boosting visit from me would be appreciated. And so it turned out.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">One of the first things I wanted to do was change my left-over Turkish Lira into Roubles. I tried all over town but to no avail. The banks in Krasnodar are interested in buying and selling US Dollars or Euros. Nothing else. Not even the once noble Sterling. After I'd tried a few banks I began to lose my temper and called them a Third World country. Well, they might, or might not, be a Third World country but calling the bank staff names wasn't going to change the price of bread. I realized I had gone too far and took the rest of the day off to allow my mood-meter to swing back to its more usual happy(-ish) position. The next day was a different day entirely and I notched up a major success with the Unicredit bank. I had left a little bit of money in there when I left Moscow a few years ago. Then I lost my bank card and from that moment on I had no way of getting at my money from abroad, try as I might. So it was very nice, last Friday, to walk out of the bank with my £150. No great sum, I know, but my sense of achievement knew no bounds. The piece of paper that we filled in to get at the money was signed in several places by me, then by their 'expert', then by their 'senior expert' and then by their cashier. If you want to know about bureaucracy go visit a Russian bank. But not the one shown here. It is defunct. It is no more. The sign says "Attention:the bank doesn't work (closed)" The inference being, closed for ever. This is Russia - banks come and banks go.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cAc0cZlkDdY/Wmc7YvBRusI/AAAAAAAAEWE/ysZEXY-6teMTRI8qEnc-tbhvQG0ZxU8mgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180118_142909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cAc0cZlkDdY/Wmc7YvBRusI/AAAAAAAAEWE/ysZEXY-6teMTRI8qEnc-tbhvQG0ZxU8mgCLcBGAs/s320/20180118_142909.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Flushed with success, I made my way to the nearest cake shop (пекарня) which happened to be called, somewhat intriguingly, "Patrick and Mary". Here, as well as nice coffee and cake, there was a glass for tips which had a cardboard sign sticking out of it emblazoned with "for our smiles". Surprisingly (?), the glass was empty of coins. I put a couple of coins in out of gratitude for my irony fix. It is possible to make Russian people smile but it is not always easy to do.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"> </span><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; text-align: left; width: 100%px;"> <colgroup><col width="128*"></col></colgroup><colgroup><col width="128*"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr valign="TOP"> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Db3Gkdz_PTc/WmdBBIy5IjI/AAAAAAAAEWU/d4CHn1ppKdUoNQfSFoAMf5LIoJKasXpPgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180119_103256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Db3Gkdz_PTc/WmdBBIy5IjI/AAAAAAAAEWU/d4CHn1ppKdUoNQfSFoAMf5LIoJKasXpPgCLcBGAs/s320/20180119_103256.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="western"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><br /></span> </div></td> <td width="50%"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0tflVLTnouE/WmdBIXbQfeI/AAAAAAAAEWY/vgrk2EaITr4U7aPJEiRYZtSzdSJ_xRK1gCLcBGAs/s1600/20180119_100913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0tflVLTnouE/WmdBIXbQfeI/AAAAAAAAEWY/vgrk2EaITr4U7aPJEiRYZtSzdSJ_xRK1gCLcBGAs/s320/20180119_100913.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">I stayed in a cheap (and cheerful) guest house because I hadn't wanted to spend too much money in case my visa was refused. It was strange. There was no dining room so breakfast, such as it was, was brought to your room because there was no dining room.&nbsp; All part of life's rich tapestry! Please excuse the partial thumb print on the photo!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E7vnko_D3to/WmdBexYj9RI/AAAAAAAAEWc/4UnxRP0UbvcBFAVudFgH-cb7_hzxyP1JgCLcBGAs/s1600/20180118_113319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E7vnko_D3to/WmdBexYj9RI/AAAAAAAAEWc/4UnxRP0UbvcBFAVudFgH-cb7_hzxyP1JgCLcBGAs/s400/20180118_113319.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: &quot;verdana&quot; , sans-serif;">Today's video clip has to be "back to the USSR"</span><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O4Rdzo30i1M?rel=0" width="560"></iframe></div></div>Deshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18331006078568507069noreply@blogger.com0